In a move that could see the end of the popular video-sharing app, TikTok, in the United States, the US Congress voted to pass a bill that would ban the platform across the country if Chinese company ByteDance refuses to sell it. The bill was passed by 79 votes to 18 and took place just three days after it was cleared from the House of Representatives. The bill could come into play within the next nine months and ByteDance must sell the platform or face a complete ban across the country, which will see its removal from both the App Store and Google Play Store in the US.
US Congress first made moves to ban the app in March over fears on both sides of the political spectrum that it could be a “national security threat” and an espionage tool. According to Sky News, US politicians and officials shared concerns that Chinese authorities could ask ByteDance to pass on US user data. TikTok has reassured the public that it would not share this information if asked.
If the bill is passed, ByteDance is likely to begin a legal battle against the bill, arguing that it would deprive all 170 million US users of their First Amendment rights, which protects freedom of speech. The bill could also face challenges from content creators on the app. The app currently hosts more than a million content creators worldwide and stands as the sixth-largest social media site.
While the possibility of banning the app is a clear sign of disagreement between the US and China, it also raises a broader concern about privacy and the access that foreign governments may have to personal data. Other countries and governments may follow the US’s lead and ban the app altogether, creating a domino effect that could drastically impact not only TikTok but also social media as we know it
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