Helena Lyng Blak
31 weeks ago

US TikTok-ban progresses

Lawmakers push for Chinese parent company to sell the app to avoid a ban. Lawmakers push for Chinese parent company to sell the app to avoid a ban.
Closeup of someone holding a phone with the TikTok logo on the screen, in front of a laptop.
THICHA SATAPITANON / Shutterstock.com

The United States House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee has unanimously advanced a bill that would give ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, 165 days to sell off its ownership of TikTok, writes Variety.

The bipartisan bill was introduced on March 5 and is the latest attempt by US regulators to shut down the popular app due to concerns regarding users’ data security.

The US government’s pushback on TikTok and ByteDance dates back to 2020, when former President Trump raised alarm over TikTok’s ties to the Chinese government, saying the app could pose a national security risk and be used to spread propaganda, as reported by Variety.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew said at a 2023 congressional hearing that TikTok has never shared, or even been requested to share, US user data with China, nor would it honor such a request. TikTok furthermore highlights that around 60% of ByteDance Ltd is owned by global institutional investors, 20% by ByteDance employees around the world, and finally, the remaining 20% is owned by the company’s Chinese founder.

Although bipartisan, the bill has not escaped criticism.

“We’re deeply disappointed that our leaders are once again attempting to trade our First Amendment rights for cheap political points during an election year,” says Jenna Leventoff, senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), in a press release issued by the union. ACLU argues that a TikTok-ban would negatively impact free speech as “millions of Americans rely on the app every day for information, communication, advocacy, and entertainment.”

The US House of Representatives will fast-track a vote on the topic this week, Reuters reports.

Disclaimer

The information provided by this Site is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the Site.

More News

16 weeks ago Analysis: New Debate Rules Favor Biden New rules announced for the June 27th debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump serves the President well.
16 weeks ago StanChart Becomes Among the First Global Banks to Launch Spot Crypto Trading StanChart breaks new ground by launching spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether, leading the charge among global banks in the cryptocurrency space.
16 weeks ago Crypto, Currently: June 21, 2024 - Market Bears Down on Major Cryptos Daily update on the five cryptocurrencies, we consider the most interesting right now.
16 weeks ago FX Daily: June 21, 2024 – Forex Market Update Daily update from the foreign exchange markets.
16 weeks ago Amazon Plans To Make Largest Reduction of Plastic Packaging in North America To Date Amazon's response to mounting criticism over its plastic waste with a new reduction plan.
16 weeks ago Ex-OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever Launches New Company Amid Criticism of ChatGPT Parent's Board Appointments Ilya Sutskever, former chief scientist at OpenAI, has co-founded a new company, Safe Superintelligence Inc., amidst ongoing scrutiny of OpenAI’s recent board appointments.
16 weeks ago FX Daily: June 20, 2024 - Mixed Movements in Global Currency Markets Daily update from the foreign exchange markets.