Biden signs a bill that could ban TikTok
Washington: President Biden has signed into law a bill which gives the social media platform’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, nine months to divest the app or it will be blocked in the United States.
The law has been introduced because of concerns TikTok might share user data with the Chinese government – claims it has always denied. TikTok says it will challenge in court an “unconstitutional” law that could result in it being sold or banned in the United States.
Biden signed legislation Wednesday while his campaign has embraced the platform and tried to work with influencers. Already struggling to maintain his previous support from younger voters, the president is now facing criticism from some avid users of the app, which researchers have found is a primary news source for a third of Americans under the age of 30.
The bill had widespread support from lawmakers, with 79 Senators voting for it and 18 against. “For years we’ve allowed the Chinese Communist party to control one of the most popular apps in America… that was dangerously short-sighted,” said Senator Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee.
“A new law is going to require its Chinese owner to sell the app. This is a good move for America,” he added.
Experts say the bill is “a big deal” but have warned it faces multiple hurdles. It could take several years before the app is blocked as legal action, likely all the way to the Supreme Court, would delay the process.
In November, a U.S. federal judge in Montana blocked an effort to ban TikTok within the state.
However, the popularity of the app with young Americans could also be problematic. “There’s a core hypocrisy to the Biden administration supporting the TikTok ban while at the same time using TikTok for his campaign purposes,” said Kahlil Greene, who has more than 650,000 followers and is known on TikTok as the “Gen Z Historian.”
“I think it illustrates that he and his people know the power and necessity of TikTok.”
The Biden campaign defends its approach and rejects the idea that White House policy is contradicting its political efforts.
Opponents of TikTok say its ownership by Chinese company ByteDance gives Beijing a dangerous amount of influence over what narratives Americans see as well as potential access to U.S. user data. Chinese national-security laws allow the ruling Communist Party wide latitude over private business.
