The House of Representatives just passed a bill that has the potential to ban TikTok in the U.S., ending access to the app used by 170 million Americans. Of course, for TikTok to actually be banned the bill needs to first pass the Senate as well. Then it would reach the President who claimed he would sign it if passed.
Why was the bill presented by lawmakers in the first place? Those in favor of the bills passage see TikTok as a threat to national security. Certain lawmakers believe that the Chinese government could come into possession of U.S. user’s data if it uses intelligence laws against ByteDance, the Chinese parent company.
So if the bill passes the Senate and gets signed into legislation by President Biden, TikTok would have exactly five months to remove itself from ByteDance. Otherwise, TikTok would be prohibited on U.S. appstores. The app is already banned in countries like India, Nepal, and for certain government staff in the European Union, Canada, and more.
“This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: it’s a ban,” said a TikTok spokesperson in a statement. ‘We are hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, 7 million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service.”
The House vote came down to 352-65. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise advocated for the passage of the bill, stating that it “protects those families, those young people, and lets them still use the application that they enjoy. So it’s a win for families across America, and it’s a long time coming.”