House passes bill that could ban TikTok

The House passed a bill that could ban TikTok in a 352-65 vote Thursday, putting the spotlight on the Senate on how to handle the controversial legislation that has support from President Biden. The legislation, dubbed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, was introduced March 5 by Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

Two days later, House members on the Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously to approve the bill, which refers to TikTok as a threat to national security because it is controlled by a foreign adversary. The bill now heads to the Senate where it faces an uncertain future as senators appear divided about the legislation, and other federal and state-led efforts to ban TikTok have stalled.

President Joe Biden Says He’ll Consider Ban on TikTok If Congress Passes Bill

TikTok has risen in popularity quickly, especially among younger users, with its short video format and viral challenges. However, concerns about privacy and data security have plagued the app since its inception. The idea that user data could potentially be accessed by the Chinese government has led to calls for action to be taken against TikTok in the United States.

The legislation passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee is a step in that direction. By forcing ByteDance to sell its ownership of TikTok or face a ban in the US, the bill aims to protect American users’ data and privacy. While TikTok has denied any wrongdoing, the potential risks associated with a foreign-owned app having access to user data are too great to ignore.

If this bill does indeed make it to President Biden’s desk and is signed into law, it could have a significant impact on the app’s future in the US. TikTok would either have to comply with the new regulations or face being banned from the country altogether.