US Senate passes bill that could see the ban of TikTok

24 April 2024

• It had widespread support from lawmakers, with 79 Senators voting for it and 18 against.

The US Senate has passed a controversial landmark bill that could result in the banning of TikTok in America.

Under this legislation, TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has nine months to divest its ownership stake, or else the app faces being blocked in the United States.

The bill now awaits the signature of US President Joe Biden, who has indicated his intention to sign it into law promptly upon its arrival at his desk.

ByteDance has yet to provide an immediate response to this development. Previously, the company stated its opposition to any attempt to compel the sale of TikTok.

While the US government may succeed in pressuring ByteDance to offload TikTok, any potential deal would still require approval from Chinese authorities. However, Beijing has vowed to resist such efforts, suggesting a lengthy bureaucratic process lies ahead.

This legislation was passed as part of a broader package of four bills, including military aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other US allies in the Indo-Pacific region.

Senator Marco Rubio, the ranking Republican on the Intelligence Committee, remarked, "For years we've allowed the Chinese Communist Party to control one of the most popular apps in America, which was dangerously short-sighted." He hailed the new law as a positive development for the United States.

Concerns about the potential exposure of millions of Americans' data to the Chinese government have spurred Congressional efforts to sever TikTok from its Beijing-based parent company.

TikTok, in response, has argued that the bill would infringe upon the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, harm seven million businesses, and jeopardize a platform that contributes $24 billion to the US economy annually.

TikTok has also emphasized that ByteDance is not an arm of the Chinese government and has global investment firms holding a majority stake.

Despite assurances from TikTok's leadership, including CEO Shou Zi Chew, who pledged to defend the platform's interests using all available legal means, the company faces significant legal hurdles ahead.

Professor Carl Tobias of the University of Richmond Law School anticipates a protracted legal battle that could span about two years, potentially delaying any immediate action against TikTok in the US.