The fate of TikTok in the U.S. is once again uncertain. President Joe Biden signed a bill on Wednesday that includes a deadline for TikTok parent company Bytedance to divest within nine months or face a ban on app stores distributing the app in the U.S. The bill, part of broader legislation which includes military aid for Israel and Ukraine, received strong bipartisan support in the House and a 79-18 Senate vote, moving it forward swiftly.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, is based in Los Angeles and Singapore. This ownership structure has raised concerns among U.S. officials who fear the app could be used to advance the interests of a foreign adversary. Critics of the bill argue that the U.S. is unfairly targeting a popular social network while failing to address more pressing domestic issues.
Senate Proceedings
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer initially indicated that the Senate would review the legislation from the House. The Senate later demonstrated bipartisan support against TikTok, with key figures like Sens. Josh Hawley and Marsha Blackburn urging action. Senate Intelligence Committee members also backed a forced sale or ban for TikTok, citing national security concerns.
The Senate approved a $95 billion aid package, which included aid for Taiwan and Gaza, along with the contentious TikTok ban.
House Actions
In March, the House Energy and Commerce Committee introduced a bill to pressure ByteDance into selling TikTok. Known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the bill aims to prevent software with ties to U.S. adversaries from being distributed by U.S. app stores or supported by U.S. web hosts.
The bill requires ByteDance to sell TikTok within six months for the app to continue operating in the U.S. It also grants the president oversight to ensure the company is no longer controlled by a foreign adversary.
