A bill has been approved by a US congressional panel that would require TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the app within six months or face a ban. The bill, supported by the White House, raises national security concerns. TikTok has expressed concerns that the legislation could impact free speech and small businesses that rely on the app. The platform has encouraged users to contact Congress to voice their opposition. The bill is expected to go to a full House floor vote next week and has been proposed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers. It was unanimously approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee. TikTok’s owner ByteDance denies any links to the Chinese Communist Party, but lawmakers argue otherwise. The bill aims to protect national security by preventing foreign adversary-controlled applications from operating in the US. TikTok has criticized the bill as an outright ban that would infringe on First Amendment rights. The ACLU has also raised concerns about the impact of the legislation on Americans who use the app for information and communication. This bill is the latest effort by American lawmakers to regulate TikTok, following previous attempts by former President Donald Trump.
Not for human consumption
