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Tiktok to be banned in US? New bill forces ByteDance to divest from Chinese-app or risk...
US lawmakers recently presented a bill that would oblige Chinese tech giant ByteDance to divest from TikTok within six months or face a ban.
US lawmakers recently presented a bill that would oblige Chinese tech giant ByteDance to divest from widely used video-sharing app TikTok within six months or face a ban.
The White House called the new bipartisan bill a “welcoming move” as officials have expressed worries that Chinese authorities could easily access the data from the app.
The US House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Thursday is expected to hold a legislative hearing and vote on the bill called “Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act”. As many as 19 bipartisan lawmakers introduced the bill on Tuesday.
Representative Mike Gallagher, the Republican chairman of the House select China committee, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, the panel's top Democrat, have co-authored the bill. They both are the members of the Intelligence Committee and they recently visited Taiwan and the larger Indo-Pacific area.
Also Read: Biden campaign lambasted for joining Chinese-app TikTok despite security concerns
What does the bill say?
It sees ByteDance and TikTok as applications controlled by foreign adversary, urging the parent firm to sell off the video app in 165 days or face a ban.
The bill would establish a framework for the president, with the assistance of the FBI and other intelligence agencies, to classify certain social media platforms controlled by foreign enemies like Russia and China, imposing national security threats to the United States.
If an app was declared a risk, it would be removed from online app stores and web hosting providers until it terminated relations with businesses controlled by the foreign competitors. That means TikTok, which FBI Director Christopher Wray has claimed poses a threat to national security, could face a possible ban unless ByteDance acts rapidly to divest it.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Gallagher said: “TikTok could live on and people could do whatever they want on it provided there is that separation.”
He further appealed to US ByteDance investors to offer their support to a sale, stressing that “it is not a ban - think of this as a surgery designed to remove the tumor and thereby save the patient in the process.”
It is the most recent move to outlaw TikTok, following last year's measures that failed to gain traction and were denounced as unconstitutional.
Here's how TikTok and White House reacted
Slamming the bill, TikTok spokesperson called the move an “outright ban of TikTok, no matter how much they authors try to disguise it.”
“This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs,” Alex Haurek said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the White House has expressed strong support for the bipartisan proposal, although it is still considering certain amendments.
According to a National Security Council spokesperson, the Biden administration has collaborated with legislators from both parties to develop a long-term legal solution to tackle the risks of technology services that operate throughout the United States and compromise Americans' sensitive data and overall national security.
“This bill is an important and welcome step to address that threat,” the NSC said, as per Punchbowl news.
Also Read: ‘Ban TikTok’, Republican presidential candidates vow to shut down social media app during GOP debate
TikTok: A popular app in the US
TikTok is widely use in the the United States and it is particularly popular among youngsters.
Last year, senators proposed legislation to ban the app, but the effort was stymied due to lobbying from the corporation.
Former President Donald Trump attempted to restrict TikTok in 2020, but the effort was likewise unsuccessful.
The app is additionally prohibited on government devices. However, President Joe Biden's re-election campaign joined TikTok last month, facing immense backlash from the Republicans and critics.
