TikTok is about to get banned in the United States. Yes, again. The House of Representatives updated last month's overwhelmingly one-sided bill that could affect more than 170 million users in the whole country. And now, the final judgment is just a couple of days away.
Unanimous Once More
Earlier last March, the House had initially approved the first version of the bill, the rather mouthful “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” with a vote of 352-65. Today, the vote was updated to a more resounding 360-58, added with a foreign aid package that provides military aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza. The overall objective remains the same: to force TikTok's parent company, the China-based ByteDance, to divest its ownership stake in the app within a year lest the ban is implemented.
Texas Republican Representative Michael McCaul reiterated the importance of the bill with the updated vote, stating that it serves to “protect Americans, particularly children”, from what he described as the “malign influence of Chinese propaganda on the app TikTok.”
Never the First Rodeo
As we already pointed out prior, this is hardly the first time it happened. The repeated passage of TikTok-related bills in the U.S. since 2020 shows growing concern among leaders and domestic lawmakers about the app's potential ties to the Chinese government.
Critics mainly argue that ByteDance's ownership of the app alone poses a significant national security risk. For instance, the company could be compelled to share user data with Chinese authorities. Or worse, it could manipulate the platform's content to spread propaganda. Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence, even warned the House Intelligence Committee during a hearing last month that China could use TikTok to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential elections.
TikTok has, of course, consistently denied these allegations through the years, emphasizing its independence and commitment to protecting user privacy. In his latest congressional testimony, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew asserted that ByteDance is a private company not controlled by the Chinese government, even rallying the platform's users to fight against this bill. Unfortunately, his defense failed to ease the concerns of many legislators.
Hypocritical Point
On the other polarizing side of the issue, the bill itself also faced criticism from various quarters. Civil liberties and digital rights groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argue that a ban would infringe upon freedom of speech and expression.
But perhaps more importantly, other people point out that TikTok’s data collection practices aren’t exactly unique. Other social media giants like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter practically do the same thing. If we are persecuting TikTok over data privacy and propaganda manipulation concerns, then why not these other platforms? The bill simply becomes much trickier to defend and justify outside its perceived threats to national security.
A Fight to the End?
As the bill moves to the Senate, its fate remains uncertain. Senators are expected to vote on the legislation in the next few days, with President Joe Biden likely to sign it if it reaches his desk. Don’t consider the case done just yet, though. The legislative process might just face delays due to the ongoing election year and potential challenges from ByteDance in U.S. courts.
