The US House of Representatives has approved another bill aimed at addressing national security concerns surrounding the popular video-sharing platform TikTok. This legislation stipulates that if the Chinese parent company, ByteDance, refuses to sell TikTok, the service will be blocked in the United States.
Extended Timeline for Sale
Unlike the previous bill, which failed to clear the Senate last month, this iteration stands a better chance as it forms part of a broader legislative package that includes military aid for countries like Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as measures to confiscate Russian assets in support of Ukraine. The new bill grants ByteDance a longer window of up to a year to sell TikTok, compared to the six-month period in the previous version. Additionally, it outlines a nine-month initial sales period with an option for the president to extend it for a further three months should progress toward a sale agreement be made.
Expected Senate Approval
It is widely anticipated that this bill will receive approval in the US Senate, where the Democrats hold the majority of votes. US President Joe Biden has expressed readiness to sign the TikTok legislation into law as soon as it passes through the Senate.
According to Bloomberg, TikTok management is reportedly considering the dismissal of Erich Andersen, the general counsel of TikTok and ByteDance in the US, due to his failure to convince the US government of the company’s efforts to mitigate national security risks stemming from its ties to China. However, a TikTok representative has refuted these claims, labeling them as entirely false, notes NIX Solutions.
As developments unfold, we’ll keep you updated on the progress of this bill and its potential implications for TikTok users in the United States.