US Senate Passes Bill to Ban TikTok
The US Senate has given approval to a bill that mandates the Chinese owner of TikTok to transfer ownership of the social media platform to another entity.
According to Euronews, the upper house of the US Congress has passed a bill requiring ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the social network to a non-Chinese entity. Failure to comply within a year could result in the ban of TikTok in the US. The bill, which was also passed by the lower house two days ago, moves forward amid concerns over national security.
Critics within the US argue that TikTok, with its massive user base of nearly half the American population, poses risks due to its alleged proximity to the Chinese government and the unauthorized use of users’ personal data. TikTok’s management has refuted these accusations.
Mark Warner, chair of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, suggests that TikTok can continue operating in the US only if it comes under the ownership of entities from countries like the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Brazil, or France.
President Joe Biden has indicated his readiness to sign the bill into law. However, TikTok’s owners intend to challenge the legislation in court. They argue that banning TikTok would impede Americans’ freedom of expression, potentially violating the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
Earlier in March, the US House of Representatives passed a similar bill mandating ByteDance to sell the American segment of TikTok within six months to avoid a ban in the United States.
