Is the clock running out on TikTok?

One of the most popular social media platforms these days is TikTok, but now, with a recent bill passed by the House of Representatives, its days could be numbered. So, what exactly is going on? Let’s dive in.

The House passed a bill on Wednesday that could lead to TikTok being banned in the United States. Both Democrats and Republicans alike voted overwhelmingly in favor of the bill (155 Democrats for it and 197 Republicans as well, according to the Associated Press). The concern that led to the bill is the company that owns TikTok, ByteDance. It seems that according to its laws, the Chinese Communist Party could demand that ByteDance hand over user data to the political party if desired. Naturally, the US government has a few concerns about this.

But, not all are in favor of the bill, and the possibility of the ban raises other questions: Does the US government have the right to invoke a ban like this? Is it an infringement on freedom of speech? What other bans could this lead to? What precedent would be set by this? To be fair, the US is not technically forcing an immediate ban but rather giving TikTok an ultimatum: part ways with ByteDance or be banned from the US.

Before anything is set in stone, the bill has to go to the Senate, and then if it passes there, it will go to the president’s desk, where President Biden stated that he would sign it into law. But first, America will be watching the Senate to see where this thing goes.

Do you think that the TikTok bill should be signed into law? Let us know in the comments below!