Washington, D.C. – Congress passed a landmark legislation late Tuesday targeting TikTok, a popular video-sharing platform owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance. This decisive move comes after years of attempts to address national security concerns associated with the app’s Chinese ownership.
The Senate approved the measure with an overwhelming vote of 79 to 18, as part of a comprehensive aid package for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. The bill will now be sent to President Biden’s desk for final approval, with the President expressing his intention to sign it into law on Wednesday.
Once signed, the legislation will require ByteDance to sell TikTok within nine months or face a nationwide ban, with a provision for a 90-day extension at the President’s discretion. This bipartisan measure poses a significant threat to TikTok’s operations in the United States, where it boasts over 170 million users and has become a major economic and cultural force.
TikTok is expected to challenge the legislation, leading to a high-stakes legal battle that will test the company’s arguments against potential violations of free speech rights. Despite TikTok’s efforts to sway lawmakers and users against the bill, including urging users to voice their concerns to Congress, the legislation has garnered strong support from both sides of the political aisle.
For years, lawmakers have raised concerns about TikTok’s ties to China and the potential risk of data exposure to the Chinese government. Despite TikTok’s efforts to propose safeguarding measures, negotiations with the federal government stalled, prompting lawmakers to push for legislation granting more power to restrict the platform.
The effort to pass the TikTok legislation gained momentum last month when a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced and swiftly passed a bill requiring ByteDance to divest from TikTok within a shorter timeframe. The development of the bill stemmed from months of collaboration between key lawmakers, administration officials, and various committees, highlighting the broad support and significant planning behind the legislation.
Ultimately, the bill’s passage was expedited by pairing it with a provision prohibiting foreign adversaries from purchasing Americans’ personal data, addressing long-standing privacy concerns among legislators. The swift advancement of the legislation underscores the bipartisan support and strategic planning that went into crafting the bill.
Despite some opposition from liberal Democrats and libertarian Republicans over concerns of government overreach and free speech curtailment, the bill successfully navigated the legislative process by aligning with the foreign aid package’s bipartisan backing. The passage of the bill marks a significant step in addressing national security risks associated with TikTok’s Chinese ownership, showcasing the bipartisan collaboration and strategic planning behind the legislation.