The United States Senate has passed a bill that could potentially force the Chinese parent company of social media video application TikTok, ByteDance, to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S. The bill, which passed by a 79-18 vote, would require ByteDance to divest its ownership within 90 days or face a ban. The measure is attached to a larger aid package for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, which President Biden has voiced his support for.
The move follows similar actions taken by the U.S. House of Representatives in April. Both chambers of Congress have expressed concerns about the potential security risks posed by TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The U.S. government has alleged that TikTok could be used by the Chinese government to collect data on American users and spread propaganda.
ByteDance has denied these allegations and has said that it is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. The company has also said that it would be willing to sell TikTok to an American company if necessary to avoid a ban. However, it is unclear if any American company would be willing to acquire TikTok, given the potential security concerns.
The bill now goes to President Biden for his signature. If he signs it into law, ByteDance would have 90 days to sell TikTok or face a ban. The ban would likely have a significant impact on TikTok’s operations in the U.S., as the app has over 100 million active users in the country. It is unclear what would happen to TikTok’s users if the app is banned.
