KUALA LUMPUR – The United States House of Representatives swiftly passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, raising the potential for a ban on TikTok in the country.
According to the CBS, the legislation, aimed at Chinese-owned ByteDance, requires the company to sell its stake in TikTok within six months or face a ban from US app stores and web-hosting services.
The bipartisan support was evident in the 352-65 vote, reflecting widespread worries about potential security threats linked to the Chinese government.
TikTok, with its massive user base, has been a focal point of lawmakers’ scrutiny due to fears that Beijing could force ByteDance to share data from its 170 million American users.
Despite TikTok’s consistent denial of being a spying tool for the Chinese government, FBI director Christopher Wray emphasised concerns about data control and the potential compromise of American devices through the app’s software.
“Americans need to ask themselves whether they want to give the Chinese government the ability to control access to their data or whether they want to give the Chinese government the ability to control the information they get through the recommendation algorithm,” Wray told House Intelligence Committee members yesterday, as quoted by CBS.
Wray added that the Chinese government could compromise Americans’ devices through the software.
China’s Commerce Ministry opposed the forced sale of TikTok, accusing the US of running a disinformation campaign against ByteDance.
The bill now heads to the Senate, where its fate remains uncertain.
Past attempts to ban TikTok faced obstacles related to free speech, legal challenges, and disagreements on platform regulation.
TikTok mobilised its user base, urging them to contact congressional offices to voice their concerns. A Pew Research Centre survey indicated declining support for a TikTok ban among US adults, even those aware of ByteDance’s ties to China.
The question of whether former president Donald Trump’s opposition would impact Republican support added another layer of complexity as he reversed his stance on the matter.
The legislation is not a straightforward ban but rather the creation of a process allowing the president, through intelligence agencies, to designate social media applications controlled by foreign adversaries as national security threats.
Once designated, the app would be banned from online platforms unless it severed ties with foreign-controlled entities within 180 days.
Backers argue that the bill aims at separating TikTok from ByteDance and addressing national security concerns.
President Joe Biden, who recently joined TikTok for his 2024 campaign, has pledged to sign the legislation if it reaches his desk.
Despite TikTok’s lobbying efforts, which claim a violation of First Amendment rights and potential harm to small businesses, the bill’s passage in the House raises pressure on the Senate to act. – March 13, 2024