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The House Commerce Committee’s Decision on TikTok Owner ByteDance
The House Commerce Committee, in a unanimous 50-0 vote, approved a bill that would compel the owner of TikTok, ByteDance, to sell the company or face exclusion from the US market. The legislation, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, aims to address immediate national security concerns linked to TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance, a company controlled by the People’s Republic of China.
Implications of the Proposed Legislation
If this bill successfully passes through both the House and Senate and receives President Biden’s signature, TikTok would be removed from US app stores unless its owner complies with the divestiture requirement within 180 days. Furthermore, the legislation would also prevent access to US-based web hosting services should ByteDance fail to sell the company.
House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) highlighted that TikTok’s recruitment of users to lobby against the bill demonstrated the potential for foreign entities to exploit social media platforms like TikTok to influence American citizens. She emphasized the necessity of decisive action to counteract such national security threats.
Reactions and Opposition
Despite bipartisan support for the bill, the American Civil Liberties Union has criticized the proposed legislation, contending that it would infringe on First Amendment rights by limiting the communication and expression of millions of Americans who regularly use TikTok.
Conversely, bill sponsor Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) refuted claims of a ban, asserting that the bill merely mandated a divestiture instead. He criticized TikTok for misrepresenting the legislation as a total ban on the app, emphasizing that the ultimate decision rested with ByteDance.
While the bill could have future implications for additional apps, it presently singles out TikTok as a “foreign adversary controlled application.” The legislation prohibits entities from distributing or maintaining such applications unless ownership by a foreign adversary is severed, as determined by the president.
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