US Senate Looks to Advance TikTok Ban Proposal

The strain’s rising on TikTok, with the U.S. Senate seeking to rapidly advance the proposed invoice that would power the corporate into U.S. possession, because of nationwide safety considerations.

Early final month, U.S. senators proposed a brand new invoice geared toward addressing safety considerations posed by overseas possession of social media apps, which particularly takes intention at TikTok, which is owned by Chinese language firm ByteDance. Beneath the proposal, ByteDance could be compelled to promote TikTok into American possession, so as to be certain that U.S. person information just isn’t being shipped again to China, the place the C.C.P. may entry that data and use it as intel for political function.

The invoice was handed by the Home Power and Commerce Committee, then the Home of Representatives, with a Senate vote being the subsequent step, earlier than it could possibly be enacted by the President. And President Biden has stated that if the invoice makes it to him, he’ll approve it.

And this week, Senators have taken steps to advance the invoice, with the TikTok proposal now bundled right into a broader overseas help bundle, which may see it handed a lot ahead of initially anticipated.

As reported by The Monetary Instances:

“Republican Speaker Mike Johnson stated the Home would vote on three funding payments – for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan – and a fourth invoice that accommodates language on the favored video-sharing app just like that of a measure which final month simply handed the Home however has languished within the Senate. Assuming the Home backs the payments in votes on Saturday, they’d be bundled into one bundle and despatched to the Senate, in keeping with individuals acquainted with the plan. That will considerably increase the percentages that the Senate passes the measure, since many senators will likely be reluctant to scupper navy funding for Ukraine.”

The cumulative bundle will additional compel motion on the proposal, which may see the Senate make its name on TikTok’s destiny within the U.S. inside weeks.

To be clear, even when the invoice is handed, TikTok would nonetheless have virtually a 12 months to map out its divestment plan, and manage a brand new take care of a U.S. proprietor for the app. The one hitch then is that the Chinese language authorities has stated that it gained’t permit the sale of the app, which may cease TikTok from shifting into U.S. possession both method.

So whereas the proposal in itself just isn’t a ban, it may successfully find yourself being such, if the C.C.P. sticks to its weapons, and refuses to permit the platform to be bought to an American proprietor.

Given this, you’ll be able to perceive TikTok’s annoyance on the newest strikes.

Although TikTok’s continued insistence that the invoice itself is a ban hasn’t helped to enhance its standing with U.S. politicians, who’ve been much more spooked by the app’s continued use of affect ways to rally U.S. customers for its trigger.

So will TikTok really be banned within the U.S.?

Nicely, once more, it has to cross the Senate, and a few Republican Senators have indicated that they gained’t assist a ban, in keeping with former President Donald Trump’s stance that TikTok shouldn’t be banned, as a result of that will solely give Meta extra energy over info stream.

Which is an apart from the precise focus of the proposal, however as a political situation, it could possibly be voted down, alongside social gathering strains.

Nevertheless it’s undoubtedly extra prone to be handed when bundled with these different proposals. And if it does get by way of the Senate, it appears more and more sure that it is going to be enacted.

Which may imply that TikTok is barely accessible for an additional 12 months within the U.S., although there will likely be time for the corporate and the Chinese language authorities to rethink their stance.