TikTok has decried a new bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would ban the popular TikTok app if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, doesn't agree to sell within six months.
"This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: it's a ban," a TikTok representative told iMore. "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 bill in question was supported 352-65, according to NPR. In a statement made to NPR, Rep. Mike Gallagher, a member of the House of Representatives, said "What we're after is, it's not a ban, it's a forced separation." He continued to say "The TikTok user experience can continue and improve so long as ByteDance doesn't own the company."
What is the bill?
The bill is called the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" and it specifically cites ByteDance's ownership of TikTok as a national security problem. CNN reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson claims "Apps like TikTok allow the Chinese Communist Party to push harmful content to our youth and engage in malign activities, such as harvesting the location, purchasing habits, contacts, and sensitive data of Americans."
ByteDance has denied these claims to ABC, saying "This legislation has a predetermined outcome: a total ban of TikTok in the United States. The government is attempting to strip 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression. This will damage millions of businesses, deny artists an audience and destroy the livelihoods of countless creators across the country."
After successfully passing through the House of Representatives, this bill will then be seen by Congress, which will then decide if it is enacted. President Biden has previously said he would support the bill if it came across his desk.
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