TikTok vs. the United States Government - is the popular social media app on the chopping block?
- Nathan Chen
- Mar 19, 2024
- 2 min read
The United States Government has recently introduced a bill that would ban the Chinese social media app TikTok from app stores and devices based in the United States, unless TikTok leaves its parent company, ByteDance. At the time of writing, TikTok is just one step away from leaving the United States completely.
After an overwhelming 352-65 vote from the House of Representatives, the bill moves on to the Senate, where its future is “uncertain,” as NBC says. The bill experienced bipartisan support, but more Democrats voted against the bill, with 50 against, compared to Republicans’ 15. Representatives that voted no cited reasons such as wanting to find a better alternative, or the lack of time spent on this important bill, amongst other reasons.
If the bill passes, TikTok isn’t out of options yet. If the bill passes the Senate, which President Biden has vowed to sign, ByteDance would have to sell the platform or lose access to US customers. The company repeatedly claims that none of the user data is shared with the Chinese government and argues that it violates the 1st Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech.
Although the vote was bipartisan, politics still played a large role. Former President Trump, who has supported the TikTok ban for many years now, recently reversed his stance, now showing a positive stance. On the other hand, Biden has played a leaning against role, using the social media app for campaign purposes but still expressing willingness to sign the bill if it passes the Senate.
There is still time before the Senate will vote on whether one of the most popular social media apps will face the chopping block. Six out of ten Americans support the ban, but what do you think? Think about the role the government has on our speech, but also on protecting our privacy. Share your thoughts in the comments section!
Citations
Associated Press. “House Passes Bill That Could Ban TikTok (Full Vote).” Www.youtube.com, 13 Mar. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu0NkXqQOlY&t=1s. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
NBC News. “Highlights: ‘TikTok Ban’ Bill Draws Pushback from Users as House Votes in Favor of It.” NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024, www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/live-blog/tiktok-ban-house-vote-live-updates-rcna143164. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
“TikTok Ban Approval among U.S. Adults 2023.” Statista, Mar. 2023, www.statista.com/statistics/1376628/us-adults-opinion-on-banning-tiktok/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
Tran, Ken, and Riley Beggin. “House Approves Bill on TikTok That Would Force Sale or Effectively Ban Company.” USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024, www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/13/house-approves-tiktok-bill-ban/72948004007/. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
Walsh, Deirdre. “House Expected to Approve Bill Forcing TikTok to Either Be Sold or Face a U.S. Ban.” NPR, 13 Mar. 2024, www.npr.org/2024/03/13/1237501725/house-vote-tiktok-ban. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.
I think that although TikTok acts as a safe haven for teens and is a financial driver for young adults, the risks associated with it are too severe. ByteDance has a lot of power over U.S. information with TikTok. It would work better if it were a little more restricted...
Great article! I learned a lot and it was written very well!