US lawmakers introduce bill targeting TikTok over national security concerns
File photo of TikTok logo.
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has introduced a bill aimed at addressing national security concerns surrounding the popular video-sharing app TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance.
The proposed legislation, if passed, would require ByteDance to sell off TikTok within six months or face a ban in the United States. However, the bill would not authorise any enforcement against individual users of the affected app.
According to a recent BBC report, lawmaker believe that apps like TikTok pose an unacceptable risk to US national security, as data collected by the app could potentially end up in the hands of the Chinese government.
As per a Reuters report, Representative Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House of Representatives' select China committee, has stressed the importance of national security in addressing TikTok's ownership, stating, "This is my message to TikTok: break up with the Chinese Communist Party or lose access to your American users."
Gallagher has argued that allowing a platform owned by a foreign adversary that aims to control dominant media platforms in the US is untenable.
TikTok, on the other hand, has opposed the proposed legislation, labelling it as an outright ban. A company spokesperson told BBC, "This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs."
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The company has previously contested against divestment, asserting that a change in ownership would not impose new restrictions on data use.
As per a Reuters report, the White House National Security Council has expressed support for the bill, calling it "an important and welcome step" in addressing national security concerns related to tech services operating in the United States.
The Biden administration has indicated its willingness to collaborate with Congress to strengthen the legislation further. However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has raised concerns about the bill's constitutionality, criticising lawmakers for potentially trading First Amendment rights for political gains during an election year.
The proposed legislation, which would require companion legislation in the Senate, is set to be considered at an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing.
Committee chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers has argued for the need to prevent foreign adversaries, such as China, from surveilling and manipulating the American people through online applications like TikTok.
Regardless of the popularity of the app, getting the legislation approved in an election year may prove challenging. Last month, President Biden's re-election campaign even joined TikTok, indicating the app's widespread appeal.
TikTok challenging 'Gatekeeper' status under EU digital markets Act
Meanwhile, TikTok has joined Meta in appealing against the "gatekeeper" designation imposed by the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA).
In its appeal, TikTok has argued that the "gatekeeper" designation undermines the DMA's intended goal by shielding established gatekeepers from emerging competitors like itself.
The video-sharing platform, which has been operational in Europe for just over five years, claims to pose a challenge to fixed platform businesses.
TikTok has disputed its classification as a gatekeeper, citing its revenue in the European Economic Area, which falls below the DMA's threshold of approximately $8 billion per annum.
Under the provisions of the DMA, companies with over 45 million monthly active users and a market capitalisation exceeding $81 billion are classified as gatekeepers offering core platform services.
TikTok has challenged the validity of its classification under the DMA, highlighting that no market investigation was conducted regarding its designation by the European Commission.