TikTok on Sunday reiterated free speech concerns about a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would ban the popular social media app in the U.S. if its Chinese owner ByteDance did not sell its stake within a year.

Washington

TikTok has raised concerns about a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives which could lead to a ban on the social media platform if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, does not sell its stake within a specified timeframe. The company voiced its apprehensions on Sunday, citing free speech issues tied to the legislative measure. This comes after the bill was approved, without objection, as a part of a broader foreign aid package by a vote of 360-58.

The legislation in question mandates that ByteDance must divest its U.S. assets related to TikTok within a year, failing which the app could face a ban in the United States. This is an extension from an initial six-month deadline following a decision made in March. The bill is set to be reviewed by the Senate, with President Joe Biden indicating his willingness to sign it into law.

TikTok criticized the move by the House of Representatives as an infringement on the free speech rights of its 170 million American users. According to TikTok, the platform has never shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government and insists it would not do so. Despite this, several U.S. lawmakers from both major parties and the Biden administration have expressed concerns over national security risks, fearing China could force the company to turn over data.

Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, stated on CBS News that TikTok could potentially be utilized by the Chinese government for propaganda purposes. Additionally, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna commented on ABC News that a ban on TikTok might face challenges in the courts due to the free speech protections outlined in the U.S. Constitution.



TikTok raises concerns about bill passed by U.S. House

TikTok on Sunday reiterated free speech concerns about a bill that was passed by the U.S. House Saturday. The measure would ban the popular social media app in the U.S. if its Chinese owner ByteDance did not sell its stake within a year. The bill is passed without objection. A motion to reconsider is laid on the table. The House approved the legislation 360-58, which was a part of a broader foreign aid package. The Senate is expected to vote on it this week, and President Joe Biden has said he would sign it into law. In a statement, TikTok said, it is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans. Many U.S. lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties and the Biden administration say TikTok poses national security risks because China could compel the company to share the data of its 170 million U.S. users. TikTok insists it has never shared U.S. data and never would. Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, on Sunday told CBS News TikTok could be used as a propaganda tool by the Chinese government, while Democratic U.S. Representative Ro Khanna told ABC News Sunday that a TikTok ban may not survive legal scrutiny in courts, citing the U.S. Constitution's free speech protections. The House voted on March 13th to give ByteDance about six months to divest the U.S. assets of the short video app or face a ban. The legislation passed on Saturday extends that deadline.

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