TikTok users could soon find that the popular social media service is either under new ownership or, although it wouldn’t happen immediately, outright banned in the U.S.
On Saturday, the House passed legislation that would bar TikTok from operating in the U.S. if the popular platform’s China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake within a year. The bill will next head to the Senate, where it is expected to pass, buoyed by its attachment to a larger foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies that has gained bipartisan support.
TikTok has attracted unwanted scrutiny not only for the addictiveness of its constantly scrolling videos, but also due to its Chinese owner, ByteDance. That has raised concerns among lawmakers and security experts that the Chinese government could tap TikTok’s trove of personal data about millions of U.S. users.
Meanwhile, TikTok has asked its users to contact their lawmakers to argue against the bill’s passage, an effort that appears to have failed to sway opinions in Washington, D.C., noted Eurasia Group director Clayton Allen.
Read more at CBSnews.com
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