TikTok Ban Inches Closer to Reality as Key Senate Committee Clears Bill
House Bill Calling for TikTok to Sever Ties Advances
WASHINGTON D.C. - The United States Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has passed a bill that would effectively ban TikTok from operating in the country unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the app to a U.S.-based entity.
Bill Awaits Senate Floor Vote
S. 2342, known as the "No TikTok on U.S. Devices Act," passed the committee with a bipartisan vote of 19-1 on Wednesday. The bill now awaits a vote on the Senate floor. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not yet indicated whether he will schedule the bill for a vote, but the passage by the committee is a significant step towards a potential ban.
Concerns over National Security
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), has cited concerns over national security as the primary reason for the TikTok ban. The app's Chinese ownership raises concerns about the potential for the Chinese government to access sensitive user data and potentially use it for intelligence purposes.
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