The House passed a bill targeting ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, to either sell off the app or face a ban in the U.S. The bill, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, received a vote of 352-65.
Introduced by Reps. Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi, it targets TikTok as a national security threat. The unanimous approval came from the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Now, the bill moves to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. Previous efforts to ban TikTok have not progressed.
TikTok criticized the bill's secretive process. They hope the Senate will see the bill differently, noting its impact on the economy and its users.
President Biden is ready to sign the bill, with the White House aiding its drafting. If passed, ByteDance must divest TikTok to keep it available in the U.S.
The bill mandates app stores and internet hosts to block TikTok and related apps if not divested.
Critics argue TikTok's links to the Chinese Communist Party pose a security risk. TikTok's CEO has denied such claims.
Opposition also comes from those concerned about First Amendment rights. The ACLU and the Knight Institute have spoken out against the bill.