A bipartisan bill wants to force ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to separate from its flagship application. Otherwise, it will simply be banned in the United States.
The platform has been at the heart of growing Sino-American tensions for several years. As early as 2020, the Trump administration was considering a way to have it banned in the world’s leading power. TikTok has been banned on government devices since the end of 2022, while a bill presented in early 2023 attempted to ban the application nationally, in vain.
US authorities are concerned about ByteDance’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. They believe that the data of American users of TikTok can be exploited for espionage purposes, and the platform used to carry out propaganda campaigns. Allegations that the platform has always denied.
ByteDance would have six months to sell TikTok
This new text was presented by Democratic and Republican deputies, demonstrating the collusion of the two parties on this subject even during an election period. He gives ByteDance six months to separate from TikTok. If the Chinese giant does not obey, the application would no longer be offered in the App Store and the Google Play Store in the country. Likewise, browsers will no longer be able to host its desktop version.
“TikTok is Chinese Communist malware that is poisoning the minds of our next generation and giving the Communist Party unlimited access to tons of American data said Elise Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, in a press release.
The social network was quick to react to the news, deeming the text unconstitutional. “ This bill is an outright ban on TikTok, even if the authors try to cover it up. This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs », retorted one of his spokespersons.
The White House approves
However, the company has been trying to show its credentials for several years. It even announced a $1.5 billion plan to store Americans’ data locally, while allowing authorities to access its code.
The White House welcomed the legislation, saying it was a step ” important » against the threat posed by technological services from countries considered hostile. It will be examined during a hearing of the Energy and Commerce Committee this Thursday, March 7 with a view to a potential vote.
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TikTok is a social media app primarily focused on creating and sharing short videos. TikTok has quickly become popular with a wide audience, especially among young people. The app allows users to create videos up to 3 minutes long, often featuring music, lip-syncing, dancing, comedy skits, and other forms of expressive performances.
TikTok is a social media app primarily focused on creating and sharing short videos. TikTok has quickly become popular with a wide audience, especially among young people. The app allows users to create videos up to 3 minutes long, often featuring music, lip-syncing, dancing, comedy skits, and other forms of expressive performances.
Sources: Engadget, The Select Committee on the CCP
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