The US House of Representatives has passed the bipartisan Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, targeting ByteDance [1] [10], the parent company of TikTok [1] [4].
Description
The bill requires ByteDance to sell TikTok within 165 days or face a ban in the US. It received overwhelming support in the House, with President Biden indicating his approval [5]. If ByteDance does not comply, TikTok may be removed from app stores until divestiture occurs [3]. The legislation also mandates ByteDance to relinquish control of TikTok’s algorithm [3], addressing national security concerns raised by FBI Director Christopher Wray. Critics argue that a ban would harm small businesses and creators who rely on the platform [7].
Conclusion
The fate of TikTok remains uncertain [5], with concerns over Chinese government influence. The bill now moves to the Senate [8], where its future is uncertain [6] [8]. President Biden has indicated he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk [2] [4] [7]. Legal challenges are expected if ByteDance fails to divest its US assets within the specified timeframe [9].
References
[1] https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/tiktok-faces-us-ban-house-votes/
[2] https://variety.com/2024/digital/news/house-passes-tiktok-ban-bill-1235939822/
[3] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-14/what-you-need-to-know-about-us-tiktok-ban-bill/103585256
[4] https://www.npr.org/2024/03/13/1237501725/house-vote-tiktok-ban
[5] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-house-vote-force-bytedance-100139817.html
[6] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/14/why-has-the-us-passed-a-bill-to-ban-tiktok-and-whats-next
[7] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-likely-pass-bill-ban-tiktok-sending-senate-rcna142797
[8] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-ban-house-vote/
[9] https://www.businessoffashion.com/news/technology/us-house-passes-bill-to-force-bytedance-to-divest-tiktok-or-face-ban/
[10] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/mar/13/house-passes-tiktok-bill-ban
