House lawmakers have once again passed legislation that could potentially lead to a nationwide TikTok ban, posing a significant threat to the company's operations in the United States. This recent development has raised concerns among TikTok users and stakeholders alike.
Background
In March, the House approved a bill that required TikTok to sell its US operations within six months to avoid being banned from US app stores and internet hosting services. The new legislation extends this deadline to approximately nine months, with the possibility of a 90-day extension by President Joe Biden if progress is made towards a sale. Moreover, the bill has been included in a larger foreign aid package, making it more challenging for lawmakers to oppose.
Senate Consideration
There is speculation about whether the Senate may attempt to remove the TikTok language from the foreign aid package. However, experts believe that this scenario is unlikely, as expediting the approval of the foreign aid package is a top priority for Congress.
Impact on Users
If the Senate approves the TikTok legislation, it will then be sent to President Biden for final approval. Given the President's previous support for similar measures, he is likely to sign any foreign aid package containing provisions targeting TikTok. This would initiate a 270-day period for TikTok to find a buyer. Failure to separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, within this timeframe could result in users being disconnected from the platform.
While the potential ban poses a significant threat to TikTok's US operations, the outcome remains uncertain. Users and stakeholders will be closely monitoring further developments in this ongoing legislative process.
