The House Energy and Commerce Committee, led by Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, passed a bipartisan bill on Thursday that could potentially force ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, to sell the video-sharing platform or face a ban in the United States. The bill, known as the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” was introduced by Rep. Mike Gallagher and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. This move comes amid growing concerns about TikTok being used as a tool by the Chinese government to influence democratic processes in the U.S. and collect data on American users.
FBI Director Christopher Wray previously testified before Congress that TikTok is a national security concern due to its ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CPP). Lawmakers worry that the CPP could use TikTok to push agendas or gather information on American citizens. TikTok has denied any links to the CPP, but the bill aims to address these concerns by allowing the President to designate social media platforms controlled by adversarial countries as national security threats. Platforms deemed as such would face a ban unless they sever ties with the foreign country within 180 days.
The bill does not specifically mention TikTok, but Reps. Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi emphasized the platform in their statements about the legislation. They have called on TikTok to distance itself from the Chinese Communist Party or risk losing access to American users. This move comes at a time when TikTok has become increasingly popular, with President Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign even joining the platform to connect with younger voters.
If passed, the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” would give the President the authority to identify and designate social media platforms controlled by adversarial countries as national security threats. These platforms would be banned from app stores and web hosting services unless they cut ties with the foreign country within 180 days. The bill aims to address concerns about foreign influence and data collection on American soil.
The bipartisan nature of the bill indicates a shared concern among lawmakers about the potential risks posed by foreign-controlled social media platforms. The push to regulate TikTok reflects broader worries about national security and data privacy in the digital age. As the bill moves forward, it will be interesting to see how TikTok and other platforms respond to the potential threat of being banned in the United States. The outcome of this legislation could have significant implications for the future of social media regulation and national security measures.
