ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, is facing the possibility of a ban in the United States. Under a bill recently passed by the House, ByteDance will be required to sell TikTok to an American company or face a domestic ban. The legislation is now on its way to the Senate, where it is also expected to pass.
To expedite the bipartisan legislation, House Speaker Mike Johnson combined it with a bill allowing the US to seize Russian assets and bundled it with aid bills for Taiwan, Israel, and Ukraine that had been stalled in Congress. President Joe Biden has indicated that he will sign the legislation if it passes the Senate, despite potential legal challenges from ByteDance, TikTok users, and creators.
The bill was advanced by the House over the weekend, giving ByteDance about a year to secure American ownership or risk being banned in the country. Previous versions of the bill had given ByteDance only six months to find a new owner. The combined package of legislation will soon head to the Senate, where it is likely to be approved.
In recent years, concerns have been raised about TikTok sharing user data with the Chinese government. Former President Donald Trump had previously tried to ban the app but has since changed his stance. President Biden has indicated that he will sign any legislation that passes Congress but may face legal challenges from ByteDance and others who oppose a total ban on TikTok in America
