House Passes Bill to Force TikTok Sale Over Privacy Fears; Ban Looms
April 18, 2024The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill mandating the sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner ByteDance within a year, with a possible three-month extension.
Failure to comply with the bill's requirements could lead to a ban of TikTok in the United States.
This bill, included in a foreign aid package, is set for an expedited vote in the Senate and has President Biden's support for signing.
A potential TikTok ban would remove it from US app stores unless it is sold to a new owner, but the sale is complicated by valuation difficulties and the app's proprietary recommendation algorithm.
The bill's passage reflects ongoing concerns about data privacy, Chinese influence, and has broader implications for the tech industry's regulation on privacy and online safety, particularly for children.
Despite unveiling a proposal for a national data privacy standard, Congress has not yet taken comprehensive action on tech industry regulation.
TikTok has signaled a possible legal challenge to the legislation, citing disappointment with the bill.
Summary based on 16 sources
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Sources
BBC News • Apr 18, 2024
Can TikTok's owner afford to lose its killer app?The New York Times • Apr 18, 2024
TikTok Bill Is Bundled With Aid to Ukraine and IsraelThe Verge • Apr 18, 2024
TikTok divest-or-ban legislation could suddenly be fast-tracked in the Senate