WASHINGTON: The US , House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill on Wednesday ( Mar 13 ) that would give TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance about six months to divest the US assets of the short- video app, or face a ban, in the greatest threat to the app since the Trump administration.
The bill was passed 352- 65, with republican help, but it faces a more uncertain course in the Senate where some are in favor of a different strategy for regulating foreign-owned apps that raise protection concerns. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that the regulations will be reviewed by the Senate.
In a letter obtained by Reuters, TikTok told people,” We are working hard to continue educating the Senate about the effect this proposed policy would have on the 170 million Americans who use our service.” Our approach is the same as we always believe that the best way to address issues about national protection is through open, US-based protection of US user data.
The death of TikTok, used by about 170 million Americans, has become a big problem in Washington. According to lawmakers, teens who use TikTok frequently voice their opposition to the policy, and the number of complaints occasionally surpasses the number of calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
After the vote, a TikTok spokesperson said,” This approach was secret and the act was jammed through for one reason: it’s a ban.”
The move is the most recent in a line of actions taken by Washington to address concerns about China’s threat to US national security, including cranes installed in US ports and related vehicles.
White House spokesman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday that President Joe Biden wants the US Senate to pass policy quickly.
Jean- Pierre said the White House would provide the Senate, controlled by Democrats, professional guidance related to any possible changes to the policy.