The House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill that would require TikTok to be divested from its China-based parent company ByteDance or face a ban over national security concerns. The bill, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, seeks to block apps controlled by foreign adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. It has been introduced by Representatives Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), who lead the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party.
The concerns surrounding TikTok stem from its potential to serve as a propaganda and surveillance tool due to its links to the Chinese Communist Party. There are also worries about the app’s algorithm surfacing harmful content to young users. Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee advanced the bill with a unanimous vote of 50-0, indicating bipartisan support. President Biden has also expressed his willingness to sign the bill into law if it reaches his desk. However, its fate in the Senate remains uncertain.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has yet to indicate his plans for the bill, stating that he would wait to see what the House does before making a decision. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell has expressed her preference for a different bill called the GUARD Act, which would give the Commerce Department authority to regulate foreign-owned apps like TikTok without imposing a ban.
It remains to be seen whether the Senate will consider the legislation, as some senators have voiced their opposition to the House bill. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) emphasized the national security concerns surrounding TikTok, stating that China’s ownership of the app poses a serious threat. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) also acknowledged the national security issues posed by TikTok, particularly in terms of data privacy and the large number of American users.
In a recent briefing with House lawmakers, officials from the FBI, Justice Department, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence highlighted China’s use of TikTok for foreign influence operations. The annual worldwide threat assessment released by the ODNI noted that TikTok accounts run by a PRC propaganda arm reportedly targeted candidates from both political parties during the 2022 U.S. midterm cycle.
TikTok has strongly opposed the House bill, arguing that it would amount to an outright ban and infringe upon First Amendment rights. The company has mobilized its U.S.-based users, including children, to lobby against the bill, but it still advanced out of committee with unanimous support.
The fate of the bill now rests in the hands of the Senate, where its prospects remain uncertain. However, the concerns surrounding TikTok’s potential threat to national security and foreign influence operations underscore the need for further scrutiny and regulation of foreign-controlled apps.
