Technology
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The US House has just passed a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells it within six months.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.Known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, or H.R.7521, the bill passed by a vote of 352-65 on Wednesday March 13 and now makes its way to the Senate.
While its fate ahead is uncertain, President Joe Biden has previously promised that he would sign it if Congress passes the measure.
That said, some political commentators believe the ban will be extremely difficult to put into action and won't come into effect anytime soon, even if it does pass through all the necessary hoops. Likewise, a sale of TikTok would be equally tricky as potential buyers would be very limited.
Why is the US looking to ban TikTok?
The possible ban on TikTok stems from concerns that the app’s owners, Beijing-based ByteDance, Ltd., are beholden to the Chinese government, which could potentially exploit or weaponize the app.
Backers of the bill claim that ByteDance could provide the Chinese government with sensitive data on the over 150 million Americans who use the social media app. Furthermore, some contend that TikTok could be used to feed the US with propaganda and misinformation, sowing seeds of distrust within the population.
“Foreign adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party [CCP], pose the greatest national security threat of our time. TikTok’s access to 177 million American users makes it a valuable propaganda tool for the CCP to exploit,” Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican of Washington state, said in a statement.
“We have given TikTok a clear choice: Separate from your parent company ByteDance, which is beholden to the CCP, and remain operational in the United States, or side with the CCP and face the consequences,” she added.
“The choice is TikTok’s.”
However, some politicians from both parties have expressed opposition to the bill, arguing it infringes on people’s freedom of speech and their ability to access information.
“I am deeply concerned about our foreign adversaries accessing our private data online, but this bill is not the comprehensive reform we need to reign in Big Tech and protect Americans from harm and manipulation. I refuse to spring a TikTok ban on my constituents who, under the neo-fascist control of Governor DeSantis, rely on social media for income, information, and community," Representative Maxwell Frost, a Democrat of Florida, said in a statement.
“Count me out,” he added.
What impact could the TikTok ban have?
It would be a dramatic move if the ban goes ahead. TikTok became the most downloaded app in the US in 2018 and surpasses Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube in terms of downloads. It also has a profound influence on culture (for better or for worse) and plays a pivotal role in driving online trends.
Geopolitically speaking, it would be a significant milestone in the deepening rivalry between China and the US. However, it wouldn’t be a totally unprecedented step. Google, Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, Reddit, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitch, and many other platforms are blocked in China, while the US has banned numerous Chinese tech companies, including Huawei and ZTE.
