Joe Hindy / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Legislation that would force ByteDance to divest its ownership stake in TikTok to remain in the US has passed in the House of Representatives again.
- The legislation is now headed to the Senate, included in an aid package for Ukraine and Israel.
- The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week, with President Joe Biden expected to sign it when it reaches his desk.
TikTok is now one step closer to facing a ban in the US if parent company ByteDance chooses not to divest its ownership stake. The ban could take effect as soon as in the next few days.
Despite massive lobbying efforts to keep TikTok in the US, the House of Representatives passed legislation today that would ban the app in the country, according to NBC News. The bill passed after 360 representatives voted in favor of the ban, with 58 saying no.
Now that the bill has passed the House once again, it will need approval from the Senate and the President to become law. It will arrive on the Senate floor next week as part of a crucial aid package for Ukraine and Israel. The measure is expected to pass, with President Joe Biden expected to sign it as soon as it reaches his desk.
This ban measure stems from bipartisan concerns about TikTok’s connection to China. There’s a fear that China could use the app to spread propaganda to the US audience. In addition, there are concerns about the massive amounts of data being collected on the millions of American users.
If the bill becomes law, ByteDance will have two options: sell TikTok or end its presence in the US. It’s likely ByteDance will exhaust all of its options before considering divesture.
