The possible ban on the application generated debates about national security and data control by China.
The United States Chamber has just approved, this Wednesday (13), the bill that could end up banning the use of TikTok throughout the United States. The vote registered 352 in favor and 65 against, with 15 Republicans and 50 Democrats opposing.
The fate of the project now depends on the United States Senate. If approved, the bill would prohibit the social network’s presence in US app stores unless the platform, used by around 170 million Americans, disassociates itself from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Lawmakers in favor of the project argue that TikTok represents a threat to national security, as the Chinese government could use its intelligence laws to obtain data from American users through the company.
However, the project faced opposition from different political currents. Former President Donald Trump, previously in favor of banning TikTok, backed away from his position. At the same time, Democrats face pressure from young progressives, who have TikTok as their favorite app.
Both social network content creators and China reacted with outrage to the vote. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the measure as an “act of bullying”, while TikTok classified it as a violation of users’ constitutional right to freedom of expression.
TikTok launched an in-app mobilization campaign, asking users to contact political representatives in Washington to oppose the project. Because of this, several Congressional offices reported receiving a high volume of calls.
If the project is approved, ByteDance will have around five months to sell TikTok. President Joe Biden expressed support for the measure, indicating he would sign it if it reached his desk.
Despite approval in the Chamber, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer did not commit to an immediate vote on the project, highlighting the uncertainty about the next steps.
I will have to consult and intend to consult with the chairs of my relevant committees to see what their views would be, he said.
As for Trump, although he previously supported the idea of banning TikTok, his recent statements indicate a radical change of position. He argued that the ban would benefit theFacebookbut also acknowledged similar problems at other technology companies.
Proponents of the project reject the idea that it is a ban, claiming that it would give TikTok the option of disassociating itself from the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok, in turn, contested this claim, arguing that the project would result in a total ban on the app in the United States.
*With information from CNN Brasil
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