The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on a bill that would require China’s ByteDance to sell off TikTok within six months or face a ban in the United States. The Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously approved the measure on Thursday, marking significant progress for U.S. efforts to crack down on the popular short video app.
With approximately 170 million users in the U.S., TikTok has faced scrutiny over its Chinese ownership, particularly after former President Donald Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to ban the app in 2020. Previous efforts to address the issue had stalled due to heavy lobbying by the company.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced that lawmakers will vote on the bill to compel TikTok to sever ties with the Chinese Communist Party.
TikTok has maintained that it does not share U.S. user data with the Chinese government, but argues that the bill effectively amounts to a ban.
The company also questions whether China would approve any sale of its operations or if divestment could be achieved within six months.
Following the committee’s vote, TikTok expressed concerns that the legislation would lead to a total ban in the U.S., impacting millions of users, businesses, artists, and creators.
The company emphasised the potential damage to free expression and livelihoods.
Before the vote, lawmakers received a classified briefing on national security concerns related to TikTok’s Chinese ownership.
Representative Frank Pallone, a top Democrat on the committee, expressed hope that the bill would compel divestment, ensuring Americans can continue using similar platforms without fear of foreign influence.
Representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi introduced the legislation to address national security concerns associated with Chinese ownership of TikTok.
