The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill, with a vote of 360 to 58, that could pave the way for the first-ever U.S. government ban on a social media platform like TikTok.
The Senate is set to vote on the bill next week, and President Joe Biden has expressed his intention to sign it into law.
The legislation, spearheaded by Texas Republican representative Michael McCaul, aims to shield Americans, particularly children, from what he described as the “malign influence” of Chinese propaganda on TikTok.
McCaul characterized the app as a potential spying tool within Americans’ smartphones.
The updated TikTok bill was included in a broader foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, proposed by House Republican speaker Mike Johnson.
The bill’s passage followed calls from Maria Cantwell, chair of the Senate commerce committee, to extend the divestment period for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, from six months to a year.
Cantwell emphasized the need for sufficient time to facilitate a sale to a new buyer.
Critics have raised concerns that ByteDance, headquartered in China, could harvest user data and censor content critical of the Chinese government.
Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, cautioned in a congressional hearing that China might exploit TikTok for influencing U.S. elections in 2024.
TikTok has vehemently denied allegations of sharing U.S. user data with the Chinese government, emphasizing its operational independence and global leadership team.
In response to the House vote, TikTok expressed disappointment, highlighting its significant economic contribution to the U.S. economy.
President Biden had previously pledged support for the TikTok bill, and in March, TikTok’s CEO faced intense questioning from Congress on various issues, including China and data privacy.
The bill’s passage drew criticism from the president of Signal, who argued that concerns over data privacy could extend to other social media platforms.
This sentiment was echoed by others who condemned the bill’s implications for privacy and surveillance.
The legislative developments underscore the ongoing debate surrounding national security, data privacy, and the role of foreign-owned platforms in the U.S. social media landscape.
