How long would Byte Dance have to sell TikTok US to avoid the app being banned?
A vote on the law that seeks to ban TikTok in the United States is expected to take place in the Senate this week. When could the app be banned if it passes?
The US government is still attempting to ban TikTok. On April 20, the House of Representatives passed a measure that could restrict the popular video app nationwide. The potential ban was included in a foreign aid package that provides support for Ukraine and Israel and was approved with 360 votes in favor and 50 against.
Now that the House has voted on the bill, it will be sent to the Senate, which is expected to vote on the legislation on Wednesday or Thursday. However, lovers of the popular social media app could see the platform protected if Presidnet Biden chose to veto the bill containing the ban. The liki
Why is the USA seeking to ban TikTok?
TikTok stores the personal information of millions of users in the United States and globally. This has raised concerns among legislators and security experts about the possibility of the Chinese government accessing and using this information. TikTok US leaders have testified before Congress that user data is safe, but that has not been enough to tamper concerns on Capitol Hill.
For its part, a spokesperson for TikTok has criticized the measure, arguing that “it is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans.”
In addition, TikTok has emphasized that banning the application in the United States would also directly affect 7 million companies and remove a source of income of approximately $24 billion for the US economy.
When could a possible sale or closure of TikTok occur?
The new legislation does not leave the parent company many options. ByteDance would be required to sell TikTok US, and if they chose not to, the application would be removed from cell phones and the App and Google Play stores. As for a timeline, if the Senate passes the bill and Presidnet Biden approves it, ByteDance would have one year to reach an agreement to sell the application. Otherwise, the ban would take effect.