Synopsis: President Joe Biden has signed legislation potentially leading to the ban of TikTok in the US. The law mandates ByteDance to sell the app to a US entity within a year or face prohibition. Concerns over national security and data privacy prompted the move. ByteDance contests the law, citing First Amendment violations, and vows legal challenge. Meanwhile, TikTok's CEO reassures users of the app's resilience amidst the ban.
President Joe Biden has enacted legislation that could lead to the prohibition of the Chinese video-sharing platform, TikTok, in the United States. The new law has set a deadline for ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to meet a condition or else face a ban: selling TikTok to a US entity within a year.
The decision to ban TikTok in the US stems from longstanding concerns that the app, based in China, could potentially influence US elections. Lawmakers worry that Beijing might compel ByteDance to share millions of users' data or manipulate American audiences by controlling TikTok's content.
Despite these concerns, the US government has not provided concrete evidence to support claims of national security risks associated with TikTok.
Senator Laphonza Butler, a Democrat from California, has urged the Biden administration to consider the impact on TikTok employees and local economies as it pursues this course of action.
The new law, supported by leaders from both major political parties, grants ByteDance nine months to divest TikTok to a US company, with a possible three-month extension if progress is made. Additionally, it prohibits ByteDance from maintaining control over TikTok's algorithm, which tailors content to users' interests, particularly popular among younger demographics.
ByteDance has contested the law, arguing that it infringes upon First Amendment rights, and has indicated its intention to challenge it legally, though it has not yet filed a formal response.
In response to the impending ban, TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, reassured users that the platform is here to stay. He emphasized TikTok's commitment to prevailing in any legal battles, asserting that the law contradicts both factual evidence and constitutional principles.
