For those who are just tuning in, national security fears about TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance have prompted US politicians to step up their efforts to crack down on the platform. If TikTok doesn’t swiftly split off from ByteDance, the measure would ban the social media network from US app stores.
The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act is a bill that was passed last week by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. And on Wednesday, the House passed it with only 65 members voting against it and 352 in favour. Many of the roughly 170 million Americans who use the app have raised concerns that banning TikTok could mean doing away with a platform that represents much more than a platform where young people can follow the latest updates about the Princess of Wales. It’s where they go to find connection, get entertained, seek information and earn a living. Some of those TikTokkers phoned their representatives in recent days to urge them to vote “no” on the bill, after the app alerted users to the potential ban.
There are other platforms available for TikTok users — nearly every major social media company has spent the past several years trying to mimic the app’s popular formula of snappy, shortform videos combined with a powerful recommendation algorithm that keeps users scrolling. However, shifting a loyal audience from one platform to another is easier said than done. But TikTok will not be disappearing from Americans’ phones anytime soon.
The bill faces numerous hurdles to being signed into law and will almost certainly face legal challenges if it is. And if the bill becomes law, the question remains whether an American buyer would step in to save the day (if ByteDance is willing to divest the popular platform).
Here’s what you need to know if you’re a TikTokker worried about the ban:
How likely is the bill to become law?
Now that the bill has passed the House, it moves to the Senate, where it faces a more uncertain outcome.One major obstacle: The bill is largely unpopular with TikTok users, many of whom also happen to be young voters who could hold major sway in the 2024 US election, which senators are keenly aware of. Some TikTok users posted videos ahead of Wednesday’s vote showing them calling their representatives and threatening to vote for alternate candidates if they voted to pass the bill.
“This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: it’s a ban,” a TikTok spokesperson said in a statement following the Wednesday House vote. “We are hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, 7 million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declined on Wednesday to commit to bringing the TikTok bill to the Senate floor for a vote. “The Senate will review the legislation when it comes over from the House,” he said.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin on Tuesday said he has concerns about the bill’s constitutionality. He added that passing the bill could have political fallout — including for President Joe Biden, who has said he will sign the bill if it makes it to his desk — ahead of the 2024 election.“Cutting out a large group of young voters is not the best known strategy for reelection,” Durbin said.That may be even more true after Biden’s likely opponent in November, former President Donald Trump, said he opposed a TikTok ban, a reversal from his stance as president.Even if the bill did manage to pass the Senate and get signed into law, TikTok has signaled it would likely challenge the legislation in court. A similar statewide bill in Montana has been halted pending a trial after TikTok alleged it violated the first amendment.
Source: Here