American politicians are facing a flood of calls from TikTok users expressing discontent over plans that could compel its parent company to sell the popular social media app. The proposed bill, which mandates the sale of TikTok within six months or risk a ban, was greenlit by a US congressional panel on Thursday, sparking a flurry of reactions from the app’s user base.
Earlier, TikTok users were alarmed by a notification urging them to take action to “stop a TikTok shutdown.” Reports from a congressional aide revealed that their office had been inundated with dozens of calls on the matter, with one Congressman noting that even children had reached out to express their concerns.
TikTok’s Call to Action
Confirming its involvement, TikTok informed the BBC that it had sent notifications urging users to “call your representative now” to rally against the proposed measure. The bill is slated to undergo a full House floor vote in the upcoming week.
The Bipartisan Bill
The bill, introduced by a bipartisan group of 20 lawmakers comprising the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, passed the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously with a vote of 50-0. Before becoming law, it would require approval from the Senate.
The legislation aims to “protect the national security of the United States from the threat posed by foreign adversary controlled applications.” Lawmakers argue that ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has ties to the Chinese Communist Party, an assertion that ByteDance and TikTok vehemently deny.
The bill singles out ByteDance, stipulating that it must sell TikTok within the designated timeframe or face removal from mobile app stores in the US. Notably, the bill does not target individual users of the app.
Committee chairman Mike Gallagher, a Republican from Wisconsin, emphasized that allowing America’s foremost adversary to control a dominant media platform was unacceptable. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat, highlighted the “critical threats to our national security” posed by TikTok’s parent company’s alleged collaboration with China’s political leadership.
TikTok’s Response
In response to the proposed legislation, TikTok labeled it as “an outright ban” despite proponents’ assertions otherwise. The platform argued that the bill would violate the First Amendment rights of its 170 million American users and impede 5 million small businesses reliant on TikTok for growth and job creation.
ACLU Joins the Fray
Echoing TikTok’s sentiments, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticized the bill as an attempt to score “cheap political points during an election year.” The ACLU emphasized the app’s significance for many Americans as a source of information and communication.
Continued Legislative Battle
This legislative move marks the latest in a series of attempts by American lawmakers to rein in TikTok. The app remains banned on US government devices, although President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign maintains an account. Previous attempts by former President Donald Trump to ban TikTok and Chinese-owned WeChat faced legal obstacles and never came into effect.