TikTok Ban: Tonight (according to India time), the US House of Representatives will decide whether to ban TikTok. President Joe Biden might sign the bill as soon as Wednesday.
After much discussion, the US House will vote on a bill that could force TikTok to sever its ties with its Chinese owner or be banned in the United States. This vote is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 am (7:30 pm IST).
The bill has been a subject of intense debate for weeks. It aims to address concerns about TikTok’s ownership and its potential risks to national security. If passed, TikTok might have to make significant changes to its operations or face being barred from the US market.
The bill poses a significant challenge to TikTok, a worldwide popular video-sharing app. It has raised concerns among governments and security officials due to its Chinese ownership, sparking worries about its possible ties to the Communist Party in Beijing.
Despite opposition, experts predict that the bill will likely pass in the US House with strong support. This is noteworthy given the current political divisions in Washington.
TikTok’s rapid rise in popularity has been accompanied by increasing scrutiny over its ownership and potential implications for national security. The legislation aims to address these concerns by potentially severing ties between TikTok and its Chinese parent company.
The White House made it clear in an official statement that President Joe Biden would sign the bill, officially named the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” into law if it reaches his desk.
House Republican Mike Gallagher and House Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi are working together as co-sponsors of the bill. It goes by the official name “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.” This bill could lead to TikTok being banned in the United States.
The bill has gained attention because it aims to address concerns about TikTok’s ownership, which some worry could pose risks to national security. By sponsoring this bill, Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi are taking steps to address these concerns and potentially prevent any threats that might come from foreign-controlled applications like TikTok.
The measure, which sailed through a committee with unanimous support last week, puts pressure on TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance. It demands that ByteDance sell the app within 180 days. If ByteDance fails to do so, TikTok could be removed from the Apple and Google app stores in the United States.
Additionally, the TikTok ban bill grants the president the authority to label other applications as national security risks. This power would apply particularly to apps controlled by countries seen as adversarial to the US.
The bill’s swift passage through the committee indicates strong bipartisan support for addressing the concerns surrounding TikTok and similar apps. It reflects a concerted effort to safeguard national security interests and mitigate potential threats posed by foreign-controlled applications.
Former US President Donald Trump, who initially supported the bill, changed his mind. He now argues that banning TikTok would benefit Meta, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook. Trump labeled Meta as an “enemy of the people.”
During Trump’s administration, there were efforts to gain control of TikTok from its Chinese parent company. However, these attempts were halted by US courts. There have been several other tries in the past to either control or ban TikTok in different US states. However, federal courts have consistently blocked these efforts.
Trump’s reversal highlights the complex dynamics surrounding the regulation of social media platforms like TikTok. It also underscores the ongoing debate over the balance between national security concerns and the interests of major tech companies.
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