Tag Archives: ByteDance

The House of Representatives by a wide margin passed a bill that would make it illegal to distribute or host TikTok in the U.S. — effectively blocking it from some 170 million American users — unless Chinese owner ByteDance divests its interest in the popular app.

It’s the first time a congressional bill has passed that would outlaw an internet app. The fears among many American lawmakers, who see TikTok as a national security threat: that the Chinese regime could demand access to data on TikTok’s U.S. users or somehow compel it to promote China’s agenda. TikTok has repeatedly claimed the Chinese government has never made such demands (and that TikTok would not comply with them if they were made).

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The bill, dubbed the “Protecting Americans From Foreign…

Politics

By Josh Christenson

Bipartisan legislation that would force Chinese government-linked ByteDance to sell off TikTok cleared a House committee vote unanimously on Thursday — with lawmakers defying an all-out pressure campaign by the app and disgruntled users to kill the bill.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act by a 50-0 vote during a markup session.

The bill would bar companies like Apple or Google from offering TikTok on their app stores or providing the social platform with web hosting services in the US unless ByteDance divests itself with 180 days.

The…

TikTok users have reported getting push notifications urging them to contact their members of Congress to protest newly proposed legislation that would require that parent Chinese-owned ByteDance divest the app.

The notification warns users to “Stop a TikTok shutdown,” warning that Congress “is planning a total ban of TikTok.” It features a link where they can enter their ZIP code and then call their member of Congress, according to lawmakers.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to vote this afternoon on legislation that would would prevent app stores or web hosting services from TikTok applications unless it severs ties to ByteDance. The bill also gives the president a process for designating that a social media application under the control…