The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that bans TikTok unless Chinese parent company ByteDance sells the social media platform to an American company.
The legislation passed by a 352-65-1 vote, with 197 Republicans voting “Yea” while 15 voted “Nay.”
Among Democrats, 155 voted “Yea” and 50 voted “Nay.”
The House passes a bill that would lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok if they don’t sell it to an American company pic.twitter.com/6dG819X0hD
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 13, 2024
Some members of Congress have raised concerns that banning the app may threaten free speech or empower big tech companies like Facebook and Google to censure more content, while others have focused on eliminating the national security threat presented by TikTok.
“TikTok is a CCP spy app. Plain and simple,” wrote House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) on X. “House Republicans just passed a nonpartisan bill protecting Americans’ data by sending a clear message: TikTok must sever ties with the CCP or lose its access to American users.”
TikTok is a CCP spy app. Plain and simple.
— Tom Emmer (@GOPMajorityWhip) March 13, 2024
House Republicans just passed a nonpartisan bill protecting Americans' data by sending a clear message:
TikTok must sever ties with the CCP or lose its access to American users.
According to Rep. Warren Davison (R-OH), a shift in ownership would not change the app, as the platform is owned by “60% investors – including Americans, 20% +7,000 employees – including Americans.” and “20% founders.”
“What changes with ownership?” Davidson asked.
Solve the correct problem.
— Warren Davidson 🇺🇸 (@WarrenDavidson) March 13, 2024
Privacy.
Surveillance.
Content moderation.
Who owns #TikTok?
60% investors – including Americans
20% +7,000 employees – including Americans
20% founders
CEO & HQ Singapore
Data in Texas held by Oracle
What changes with ownership? I’ll be voting NO. pic.twitter.com/MrfROe02IS
Donald Trump also came out against the ban, posting on Truth Social, “If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business. I don’t want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better. They are a true Enemy of the People!”
The Senate will likely move “slowly” toward the bill, Senator John Cornyn said (R-TX). “I think it’s more than likely that we will take up their bill and amend it and say we’ve come up with some areas where we think it needs improvement. My concern is that if you try to deal with this by name, you’re playing a game of whack-a-mole, because what’s TikTok today, next week it’s TokTik or TicTak or whatever.”
“We do things slowly over here, and this takes time,” he noted.
Leading up to the vote, American minors called their representatives and threatened to commit suicide if the platform was banned.
INSANE: 🚨 Another office is reporting to me that they have gotten suicide threats by American children who called to try to prevent @tiktok_us from being owned by an American company https://t.co/vbSg2kyC3J
— Matthew Foldi (@MatthewFoldi) March 7, 2024
Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI) previously said that TikTok is a means of “cognitive domain warfare.”
“The CCP calls it ‘cognitive domain warfare,’ part of their larger political warfare strategy,” he said during a press conference in November.
“Cognitive warfare is not something we tend to think about here in the West. Sure, we have ideas like soft power, but they’re not a national strategy,” he said, adding, “We don’t really do propaganda here. After all, there’s nowhere in the world where you can find a more scathing critique of the United States and its government than in the New York Times or on Fox News on any given Wednesday.”
A recently released report from the National Intelligence Office discussed Chinese influence operations, including those on TikTok.
The report said, “Beijing is expanding its global covert influence posture to better support the CCP’s goals. The PRC aims to sow doubts about U.S. leadership, undermine democracy, and extend Beijing’s influence. Beijing’s information operations primarily focus on promoting pro-China narratives, refuting U.S.promoted narratives, and countering U.S. and other countries’ policies that threaten Beijing’s interests, including China’s international image, access to markets, and technological expertise.”
“China is demonstrating a higher degree of sophistication in its influence activity, including experimenting with generative AI,” it added. “TikTok accounts run by a PRC propaganda arm reportedly targeted candidates from both political parties during the U.S. midterm election cycle in 2022.”
“PRC actors’ have increased their capabilities to conduct covert influence operations and disseminate disinformation,” the report continued. “Even if Beijing sets limits on these activities, individuals not under its direct supervision may attempt election influence activities they perceive are in line with Beijing’s goals.”
