House Passes Bill to Ban TikTok, Giving App Six Months to Find US Buyer
The House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards banning the popular social media app, TikTok, in the United States. The bill, which passed with an overwhelming majority of 360-58, aims to address national security concerns surrounding the Chinese-owned app.
Concerns Over Data Collection and Surveillance
Proponents of the bill argue that TikTok poses a serious threat to American users’ privacy and security. Representative Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, likened the app to a “spy balloon on Americans’ phones” and a ”modern-day Trojan horse” used to collect sensitive data and surveil American citizens.
“This app is a spy balloon on Americans’ phones,” said representative Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican, in his introduction of the bill on the House floor Saturday. “It is a modern-day Trojan horse … used to surveil and exploit America’s personal information.”
The sentiment was echoed by Representative Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat, who emphasized that foreign adversaries are using various tools, including apps like TikTok, to gather vast amounts of sensitive data on Americans.
Pushback from Digital Liberties Groups
While the bill has garnered bipartisan support, digital liberties groups have expressed concerns over the potential ban. Organizations like the Electronic Frontier Foundation argue that banning TikTok raises First Amendment issues and fails to address the underlying problem of widespread data collection.
These groups maintain that the only effective solution is to prohibit the collection of user data in the first place, rather than targeting specific apps. They also point out that Congress has provided little evidence to support claims of TikTok providing American user data to the Chinese government.
Next Steps for TikTok
The passage of the bill in the House gives TikTok a six-month window to find a US buyer. This extension comes after a previous bill stalled in the Senate due to concerns raised by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, including the short timeline for divestiture.
As the bill moves forward, it remains to be seen how TikTok will respond and whether the company will be able to find a suitable US buyer within the allotted timeframe. The debate surrounding the app’s future in the United States is likely to continue, with both national security concerns and digital privacy rights at the forefront of the discussion.
5 Comments
Cove: Oh, the TikTok saga thickens – who’s ready for a social media plot twist!?
Could this be the end of TikTok as we know it? Time to find a new obsession!
Guess it’s time to dust off my dancing shoes for another app, RIP TikTok?
So TikTok might be banned? Hello, vintage Vine energy coming back!
Wait, TikTok’s in hot water? Back to Instagram Reels, I guess!