Goes as expected! US Senate passes bill forcing TikTok to sell shares within 1 year or else it will be ‘banned’

US Senate Voted on a bill that would lead to a ban on TikTok in the United States if Chinese parent company ByteDance doesn’t sell its shares within nine months to a year.

This comes amid concerns among US politicians that China may use TikTok as a way to spy on Americans’ personal data. This bill has been approved by the US House of Representatives. It received the green light from the Senate on Saturday and is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

“For years, we allowed the Chinese Communist Party to control one of America’s most popular apps. That is a dangerously shallow view,” said Marco Rubio, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“This new law will force Chinese owners to sell such apps. This is a step that will have a positive impact on America.”

A four-year legal storm has dragged on for TikTok, which has 170 million users in the US. It’s just one of many. The internet and technology front between Washington and Beijing. Last week, Apple announced that it had been ordered by the Chinese government to remove Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China, citing “security implications” as well.

TikTok is preparing to file opposition to the law. It is claimed that it violates the First Amendment of the American Constitution, which guarantees that no law shall be enacted that is contrary to freedom of religion, freedom of expression. and media freedom Meanwhile, a number of TikTok users are also expected to oppose the US measures.

Go back to last month November last year A Montana judge previously blocked the state’s ban on TikTok, citing free speech as a consideration.

The American Civil Liberties Union has warned that banning or forcing the sale of TikTok shares would be considered “It sets a worrying precedent internationally that governments can exert outsized control over social media, and if the United States bans foreign-owned platforms, Other countries may also take similar measures.”

TikTok, which they insist has never been shared. and will never share personal information of US users with the Chinese government. It has not yet come out to comment on the US Senate vote. But it has already informed employees that the company will file a petition with the court to block this law as soon as possible.

“This is just the beginning. It is not the end of a long process,” TikTok said in an email sent to employees on Saturday.

US Senate Votes approved the bill by a vote of 79 to 18. The TikTok legislation is tied to the $95 billion foreign aid bill. Most of this is military aid that the United States will give to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

After this bill was signed and enacted ByteDance will have 270 days to sell shares in TikTok by US authorities. It could be extended for another three months if there are signs the deal is moving forward.

However, Democratic Senator Ed Markey commented that For Bydance to sell its shares in TikTok by early 2025 is not an easy task. And it may be one of the most complex and expensive transactions in history. Including the need to spend several months reviewing legal matters or due diligence. Or it might last for years.

Source: Reuters