The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that would ban TikTok from operating in the United States unless it is sold off by its Chinese owner, ByteDance. The bill was passed by a vote of 89-11 and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
The Trump administration has been pressuring TikTok to sell its U.S. operations, citing national security concerns. The administration alleges that TikTok collects data on American users that could be used by the Chinese government for espionage. TikTok has denied these allegations and says it does not share user data with the Chinese government.
If the bill is signed into law, TikTok would have nine months to divest from its U.S. operations. If it does not, the app would be banned from operating in the United States.
The bill has been criticized by some free speech advocates, who say it would set a dangerous precedent for government censorship. They argue that the government should not be able to ban apps simply because it does not like the content they share.
The bill is expected to face legal challenges if it is signed into law. TikTok has already filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its executive order that would have banned the app from the United States.
The fate of TikTok in the United States is uncertain. It is possible that the bill will be overturned in court or that TikTok will be able to reach a deal with the Trump administration that would allow it to continue operating in the United States. However, it is also possible that the bill will be upheld and TikTok will be forced to divest from its U.S. operations.
