A proposed legislation in the House has gained momentum, which may result in the popular video-sharing app TikTok becoming inaccessible in the US. This move comes after lawmakers raised concerns about the app’s potential to monitor and influence American users.

The proposal received backing from House Speaker Mike Johnson and may soon be brought to a vote in the House. On Thursday, the legislation passed through committee with a unanimous bipartisan vote of 50-0.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary of the White House, stated that while the White House has offered technical assistance in creating the bill, she acknowledged that more progress is needed before President Joe Biden can fully support the TikTok legislation.

The proposed legislation contains two provisions. The first one mandates that ByteDance Ltd., a company headquartered in Beijing, must sell off TikTok and any other apps it owns within 180 days of the bill’s passing, otherwise those apps will not be allowed in the US. The second provision establishes a specific procedure for the government to block access to an app owned by a foreign enemy if it is deemed a national security risk.

On Thursday, Johnson stated that it is a crucial and nonpartisan move to address China, our biggest rival in terms of global affairs, who is actively causing harm to our economy and safety.

Certain legislators and skeptics of TikTok have claimed that the Chinese government may have the ability to compel the company to disclose information about American users. TikTok maintains that it has never engaged in such actions and would not comply if requested. The U.S. government has not presented proof of this occurring.

Skeptics also argue that the app has the potential to disseminate false information that could benefit Beijing.

Ex-President Donald Trump made an effort to prohibit TikTok by using an executive directive, however, the courts intervened and halted the action due to a lawsuit filed by TikTok. The argument was that such measures would impede the rights to free speech and due process.

TikTok expressed worries about the proposed bill picking up steam in the House.

The company stated that this legislation, which claims to be something else, is essentially a complete prohibition of TikTok. They argued that this bill will violate the freedom of speech for 170 million Americans and harm 5 million small businesses that depend on the platform for growth and job creation.

Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican head of a House committee that concentrates on China, dismissed TikTok’s plea to prevent a ban. Instead, he argued that it is a tactic to pressure a transfer of TikTok’s ownership. Additionally, he raised concerns about TikTok’s call for certain users to contact their representatives and urge them to vote against the bill.

The alert encouraged TikTok users to “take action now – before your government takes away the Constitutional right to free speech from 170 million Americans.” It also cautioned that the “prohibition” of TikTok could harm numerous businesses and devastate the livelihoods of countless creators across the nation.

TikTok users reacted by bombarding lawmakers’ offices with phone calls. Some offices even had to shut down their phones due to the overwhelming volume. According to a congressional aide who cannot speak publicly on the issue, committee members voting on the bill on Thursday and other lawmakers were flooded with calls.

During a recent discussion, Gallagher expressed concern over a current bill and how it could potentially intimidate certain members. He emphasized the potential consequences of allowing a single news platform to be controlled by a company beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, our nation’s primary adversary. He warned that this could lead to misinformation and lies being spread about various topics such as elections and wars. This highlights the importance of not taking risks when it comes to the ownership and control of news platforms in America.

The legislation was introduced approximately twelve months after TikTok’s CEO was extensively questioned by skeptical members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee regarding concerns about data security and the spread of harmful content. On Thursday, that same committee convened to discuss and cast a vote on the bill.

Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the Republican chair of the committee, stated that TikTok’s large user base in the U.S. allows it to be used as a tool for Chinese government propaganda. She also pointed out that the parent company ByteDance is currently being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice for monitoring American journalists.

According to Rodgers, the app can gather an extensive range of data points, including a person’s location, device activity, connections, and other confidential information.

TikTok has assured legislators that it will address their worries by creating a separate entity to oversee the storage of U.S. user data, completely independent from ByteDance. This entity will be monitored by external observers. Currently, TikTok is storing new user data on servers owned by Oracle.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations that support free speech have requested that lawmakers oppose the TikTok legislation. Their letter to the leaders of the Energy and Commerce Committee stated that passing this bill would violate the constitutional right to freedom of speech held by millions in the US.

The Biden administration’s campaign for reelection has created a TikTok account in an effort to connect with younger voters. This comes despite ongoing security concerns surrounding the possibility of the app sharing user data with the Chinese government.

Jean-Pierre stated that the White House is supportive of legislators’ efforts regarding the TikTok legislation, but also emphasized the need for continued work and progress on the matter.

She stated on Wednesday during the regular White House briefing that once the matter achieves legal status and makes it out of Congress, the president will sign it.

Even as the president interacts with influencers on the popular social media app TikTok and his campaign maintains a presence on the platform, she supported the White House’s actions to mitigate potential risks associated with it.

“We will make an effort to connect with the American people on their level,” Jean-Pierre stated. “Our goal is to reach everyone. While the president represents all Americans, it does not mean we will neglect safeguarding our national security.”

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Seung Min Kim, a staff writer for the Associated Press, and Mae Anderson, also a staff writer, contributed to this report from Brooklyn, New York. From Jersey City, New Jersey, journalist Elias Meseret Hadero reported.

Source: wral.com