President Joe Biden signed a bill on Wednesday that sets the stage for a nationwide ban on TikTok, requiring its parent company, ByteDance, to divest itself of the social media platform within a year or face legal consequences in the United States. The bill sailed through the U.S. Senate on Tuesday with bipartisan support, marking a significant development in the ongoing saga surrounding TikTok’s presence in the country. The sweeping legislative measure, which also includes $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, was strategically crafted to expedite its passage through the Senate. Despite the imminent threat of a ban, TikTok CEO Shou Chew reassured users in a video message posted to the app, expressing the company’s determination to continue its legal battle and defend its users’ rights. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director, Christopher Wray, has raised concerns about TikTok’s potential as a national security risk, alleging that ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government and engaged in attempts to steal American artificial intelligence (AI) and hacking technology. The signing of the bill marks a turning point in the TikTok saga, with the ball now firmly in ByteDance’s court. The company has approximately nine months to comply with the divestment requirement or risk being outlawed in the United States. President Biden retains the discretion to extend this deadline by 90 days if he deems it necessary.
TikTok Faces Uncertain Future as Biden Signs Nationwide Ban Bill
