The latest bill to ban TikTok is making its way through the government.
According to CNN, the latest bill has officially advanced through the House Energy and Commerce Committee and, if enacted, the bill would not allow TikTok to be taken down from app stores in the United States.
However, if the company is able to separate from its parent company ByteDance, then it will remain on app stores. To separate from ByteDance, TikTok was given 165 days to do so.
TikTok is not the only app targeted. The bill also contemplates banning other apps that are “controlled by foreign adversary companies.”
The bill has been supported by both Democrats and Republicans.
“Today, we will take the first step in creating long-overdue laws to protect Americans from the threat posed by apps controlled by our adversaries, and to send a very strong message that the US will always stand up for our values and freedom,” said Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of the bill.
“I take the concerns raised by the intelligence community this morning very seriously. They have asked Congress to give them more authority to act in these narrowly defined situations, and I believe that this bill will do that,” said Representative Frank Pallone.
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The bill was first introduced by Representative Mike Gallagher and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi. It now heads to the House of Representatives for a floor vote next week.
TikTok has launched a campaign against the movement to ban it by using full-screen pop-ups when using the app that warns the bill “strips 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression.” Additionally, it asks users to call their Congress members and express their feelings over the ban.
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