U.S. Bill Demands ByteDance Divest TikTok, Official Response
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On March 6, Beijing time, bipartisan U.S. lawmakers introduced a bill on Tuesday requiring ByteDance to divest control of its short-video app TikTok, or else the app would be banned from distribution in app stores. TikTok responded by stating that the bill tramples on Americans' First Amendment rights and deprives small businesses of a platform crucial for their growth.
The bipartisan bill, proposed by U.S. House Republican Mike Gallagher, chairman of the 'Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party,' along with Democratic leader Raja Krishnamoorthi and 17 other lawmakers, would give ByteDance 165 days to divest TikTok to avoid a ban. The bill also establishes a process allowing the U.S. President to take action against social media apps controlled by companies headquartered or registered in certain countries.
This move by U.S. lawmakers could impact the upcoming U.S. election. President Biden's re-election campaign has already begun using TikTok to connect with younger voters, despite the White House previously supporting a bill that would empower the Commerce Department to ban apps like TikTok. Last month, the Biden campaign posted its first TikTok video on Super Bowl Sunday, featuring a Q&A with Biden, which garnered over 10 million views. Most of the campaign's videos focus on attacking former President Trump's mental health and Republican extremism.
TikTok responded, saying, 'No matter how the sponsors disguise it, this bill is an outright ban on TikTok. This legislation would trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform vital for their growth and job creation.'
Previously, some U.S. states have also attempted to ban TikTok. Last year, Montana's governor signed a law prohibiting app stores from allowing TikTok downloads in the state. However, TikTok successfully sued on constitutional grounds, blocking the ban. Montana is currently appealing the ruling. Additionally, TikTok has been excluded from government devices in the U.S., UK, Canada, and the EU.