One day after Washington lawmakers from all political stripes brutally interrogated TikTok’s CEO, a US ban of the Chinese-owned company’s youth-focused social media platform seems increasingly likely.
But, the Biden administration will have to proceed cautiously in depriving 150 million American teenagers of their preferred platform due to its ties to China, especially after a prior attempt by the previous administration’s president Donald Trump was rejected by a US court.
US legislators repeatedly interrupted TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew during his answers to their questions and made it plain that they believed the app, which is best known for sharing dance moves and jokes, posed a threat to both mental health and national security in the US.
A hearing “based in xenophobia,” according to TikTok executive Vanessa Pappas, was condemned in a tweet.
Chew now has to deal with the White House’s ultimatum that TikTok either cut relations with ByteDance, the app’s Chinese owners, or face being banned in the United States, with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress working against him.
The RESTRICT ACT, a bipartisan bill that was filed in the Senate this month that gives the US Commerce Department the authority to outlaw foreign technology that poses a threat to national security, must be passed before a ban can be implemented.
Speaking on Chew’s contentious hearing, spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated the White House’s support for the bill, which is just one of many measures Congress has proposed to restrict or outright outlaw TikTok.
prove the opposite ‘
The 2.5 years of negotiations between the White House and Tiktok to find a mechanism for the company to continue operating under its current ownership while assuaging national security concerns are shattered by the sell-or-get-banned ultimatum.
During those discussions, TikTok proposed Project Texas, under which the personal information of American users would remain in the US and would not be subject to Chinese law or regulation.
Nevertheless, after FBI and Justice Department officials stated that China would continue to be vulnerable, the White House changed its mind about the concept.
“TikTok finds it challenging to demonstrate that “No, we’re not handing over any data to the Chinese government” is false. Take a look at how wary our European business partners are of US firms in regions where our legal system is robust “Michael Daniel, the executive director of the Cyber Threat Alliance, a non-governmental organization devoted to cybersecurity, made this statement.
The White House currently favors TikTok severing its relationship with ByteDance through a sale or a spin-off.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Thursday, “My understanding is that what has been… pushed on is the divestiture of Tiktok by the parent corporation.”
Snap wins the death of TikTok. Ives believes the drama will continue for the remainder of the year and that it “will obviously help Meta put Snapchat front and center in the eyes of Wall Street.”
Whether TikTok’s execution will harm Washington politically among young voters is one unanswered question.
A ban would hamper young Americans’ freedom of expression and capacity to support themselves, according to Sarah Kreps, a professor of government at Cornell University.
The threat of political fallout was reduced by MPs grilling the CEO of Tiktok.
Republican congressman Dan Crenshaw stated, “I want to say this to all the teenagers… who believe we’re just old and out of touch.”
You might not be concerned right now that your data is being accessed, but you will be one day, he predicted.
AFP