TikTok being banned by Congress could quickly become a reality.
For months, national security concerns have been raised about TikTok sharing U.S. user data with Beijing. In March, a bill was introduced that would force Bytedance, the company that owns TikTok, to sell the company or face a ban. Bytedance has firmly disputed those allegations, but now it may face an uphill battle.
Per Riley Beggin of USA TODAY, the House has included a version of its plan to enforce the ban in a foreign aid bill that is highly likely to pass both the House and Senate. (The House could vote on it as soon as this weekend, putting the onus on the Senate — who has had the legislation since last month — to pass it.) President Joe Biden has also expressed that he would sign the bill into law immediately. If the ban is passed, Bytedance has one year to sell TikTok or be banned.
Sensitive business information from advertisers like Amazon, Disney and the New York Times was widely available to ByteDance staff across the U.S. and China, Forbes has learned. TikTok, which is fighting a ban over its handling of data, declined to comment. pic.twitter.com/qy55gJg2dh
— Forbes (@Forbes) April 19, 2024
