US Senate passes bill requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok: Report
The US Senate has passed a bill requiring ByteDance—the parent company of TikTok—to sell the popular social media platform or risk being removed from app stores. This legislation forms part of a larger $95B national security package that also includes aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The bill was approved with a 79-18 vote and is expected to be signed into law by US President Joe Biden soon.
Biden has expressed readiness to sign the bill into law
President Biden has expressed his readiness to sign the bill into law. He stated, "I will sign this bill into law and address the American people as soon as it reaches my desk tomorrow so we can begin sending weapons and equipment to Ukraine this week." "The need is urgent: for Ukraine, facing unrelenting bombardment from Russia; for Israel, which just faced unprecedented attacks from Iran; for refugees and those impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world."
TikTok has indicated its intention to fight the legislation
Meanwhile, TikTok has indicated its intention to fight the legislation in court. The company has been actively opposing the potential ban, arguing that it would infringe on its creators' freedom of speech rights. However, lawmakers have expressed concerns about ByteDance's ties with the Chinese government. Further, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines expressed concerns during a March hearing with the House of Representatives, warning that Beijing might exploit the app to sway the outcome of the 2024 US elections.
FBI Director Christopher Wray voiced concerns about TikTok's Chinese connections
FBI Director Christopher Wray voiced his concerns about ByteDance's connections with the Chinese government in an interview with NBC Nightly News. Wray suggested that Americans should be "thinking about it in terms of how do they feel about that same power, access, capability, control in the hands of TikTok's parent in the Chinese government, and ultimately in the Chinese intelligence service." This concern comes despite TikTok's denial of any potential risk of the Chinese government accessing user data.
House had earlier voted on a package to ban TikTok
The future of TikTok grew increasingly uncertain following the House's recent vote on a package mandating ByteDance to divest TikTok or risk facing an app store ban. This bill was passed 360-58 as part of a series of votes aimed at resolving a six-month stalemate over a $95B aid package for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and the Indo-Pacific region. The legislative package also included $60.8B in aid for Ukraine.
The bill extends the timeframe for TikTok's sale
The TikTok divestment legislation extends the timeframe within which ByteDance could sell the platform, a change from a previous bill that allowed ByteDance less than six months to do so. This amendment was crucial in securing the support of key lawmaker Senator Maria Cantwell, who stated that "extending the divestment period is necessary to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to get a deal done."
