Vote on TikTok Ban Scheduled in the US House

The US House of Representatives is poised for a crucial vote on Wednesday concerning a bill that could compel TikTok to sever its connections with its Chinese parent company or face prohibition within the United States. This legislative action marks a significant escalation in the mounting apprehensions surrounding the popular video-sharing platform, which, while enjoying immense global popularity, has prompted profound unease among governmental and security circles regarding its Chinese ownership and potential allegiance to the Beijing regime.

Scheduled for 10:00 am (1400 GMT), the impending vote is anticipated to garner widespread support, representing a rare instance of bipartisan consensus in the politically polarized atmosphere of Washington. However, the bill’s prospects in the Senate remain uncertain, as influential figures hesitate to endorse such a drastic measure against an app with approximately 170 million users in the US.

President Joe Biden has signaled his readiness to endorse the bill, officially titled the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” should it reach his desk, according to statements from the White House. The proposed legislation, which received unanimous approval in committee last week, mandates ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest the app within 180 days or face expulsion from major app stores operated by Apple and Google within the US. Moreover, it empowers the president to designate other applications as national security threats if they fall under the control of nations deemed adversarial to the US. In response to the swift legislative action, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is actively engaging in lobbying efforts in Washington to thwart the bill’s passage, while the company’s Vice President for Public Policy, Michael Beckerman, has raised constitutional concerns about the accelerated legislative process.