TikTok ban: US House of Representatives passes Bill that could see app banned across America

Washington has fears over security due to TikTok’s Chinese ownership

US lawmakers have passed a Bill that could see social media platform TikTok banned from the country if its Chinese owners do not sell the brand.

The US House of Representatives passed a Bill by 352 votes to 65, following concerns the company’s ownership structure – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese firm ByteDance – was a national security threat.

The legislators contend that ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government, which could demand access to the data of TikTok’s consumers in the US any time it wants. The fear stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organisations to assist with intelligence gathering.

Participants hold signs in support of TikTok outside the US Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Picture: Getty Images

The parent company has a separate app that has an almost identical interface – but which does not share content with TikTok – for China called Douyin. A year ago, TikTok chief executive Shou Chew appeared before US congress, where he insisted ByteDance was “not owned or controlled by the Chinese government”.

TikTok, which has more than 150 million American users, has also been raised as a concern in Scotland. Last year the Scottish Government announced a highly-anticipated ban on the app, which became popular during the Covid pandemic, on government devices, following in the footsteps of Westminster.

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Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers said: “We have given TikTok a clear choice – separate from your parent company ByteDance, which is beholden to the CCP [the Chinese Communist Party], and remain operational in the United States, or side with the CCP and face the consequences. The choice is TikTok’s.”

House passage of the Bill in the US is only the first step. The Senate would also need to pass the measure for it to become law, and members of that chamber indicated it would undergo a thorough review.

However, US president Joe Biden has said if congress passes the measure, he would sign it.

Beijing has indicated it is opposed to any forced divestiture of TikTok – and ByteDance would have to seek approval from Chinese officials to complete the process. Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the move would "come back to bite the US".