The US Senate has approved a bill that would oblige the Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok under threat of banning the platform in the country. It now heads to President Joe Biden, who has already promised to sign the legislation.
After the president signs the document, ByteDance will have up to a year to complete the deal to sell TikTok, or the social network will be blocked.
However, legal issues may delay implementation of the law. The vote in the Senate took place thanks to the actions of the House of Representatives, which has already voted twice to block TikTok. For the first time, lawmakers overwhelmingly approved a bill that would provide for a shorter time frame for asset sales—six months. However, the Senate was in favor of extending the deadline for concluding the deal.
Lawmakers and intelligence officials are concerned that TikTok could compromise the data of users in the United States. Much of the concern centers on China's national security law, which could force companies based in the country to hand over inside information to authorities. TikTok itself is based in Singapore, and the company says it does not store US information in China.
“Congress is taking no action to punish ByteDance, TikTok, or any other individual company. Congress is working to prevent foreign adversaries from conducting espionage, surveillance, and smear operations that harm vulnerable Americans, our servicemen and women, and government workers,” Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said on the floor. Senate before the vote.
“The truth is that these Chinese companies, at the end of the day, have no obligation to their customers or shareholders, but they do have an obligation to the PRC government,” said Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat. He added that TikTok's earlier proposed solution to data management problems, Project Texas, was inadequate. “Project Texas will continue to allow TikTok's algorithm, source code and development to remain in China,” Warner said.
It has been reported that TikTok may sue the US government to avoid a forced sale and a ban on operating in the country. During the trial, judges will have to weigh national security goals against the First Amendment rights of TikTok and its users. According to it, the country's Congress should not pass any laws restricting freedom of speech.
The media also wrote that former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is interested in buying TikTok.
bbabo.Net