From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 21, 2024
Bill to force TikTok to divest from Chinese parent company or lose US market moves ahead in Congress
The US House of Representatives has approved a bill that would force the wildly popular social media app TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or be shut out of the American market.
US and other Western officials have voiced alarm over the popularity of TikTok with young people, alleging that it allows Beijing to spy on users. It has 170 million in the United States alone.
These critics also say TikTok is subservient to Beijing and a conduit to spread propaganda. China and the company deny these claims.
The bill, which could trigger the rare step of barring a company from operating in the US market, now goes to the Senate for a vote next week. It passes the House with strong bipartisan support, by a margin of 360 to 58.
US President Joe Biden has stated he will sign the legislation. He reiterated his concerns about TikTok in a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping early this month.
