US House passes bill that could ban TikTok

The bill, which could lead to a ban on TikTok for USusers, has successfully passed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday (March 13). The fate of the measure remains uncertain in the Senate.

The vote resulted in a 352-65 outcome, with opposition from 15 Republicans and 50 Democrats. One Democrat voted present. The bill's approval in the GOP-controlled House contrasts with former President Donald Trump's expressed opposition to a TikTok ban.

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Legislation greenlit by the House raises the possibility of a TikTok ban in the US unless the app disassociates from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. This poses a significant threat to one of the globe's most widely-used social media platforms, boasting 170 million American users.

The fate of the measure in the Senate remains uncertain at this time. President Joe Biden has indicated his willingness to sign the bill if it successfully passes through the legislative process.

Should the legislation be enacted, TikTok would have approximately five months to sever ties with ByteDance, failing which app stores in the United States would be prohibited from hosting it on their platforms.

In a statement on Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson called on the Senate to endorse the House-approved bill that could potentially ban TikTok in the US.

Watch:TikTok Ban: Will the U.S. follow India's lead?

"Applications like TikTok enable the Chinese Communist Party to disseminate harmful content to our youth and engage in malign activities, including collecting the location, purchasing habits, contacts, and sensitive data of Americans. Today's bipartisan vote reflects Congress' resistance to Communist China's efforts to spy on and manipulate Americans, emphasizing our determination to deter our adversaries," Johnson expressed in the statement.

"I implore the Senate to pass this bill and transmit it to the President for his signature, turning it into law," he added.

MeanwhileTikTok contends that the legislation constitutes an assault on the First Amendment rights of its users and encourages them to reach out to their representatives in Washington to voice opposition to the bill.

In anticipation of the vote, China's foreign ministry expressed strong disapproval, denouncing it as an act of bullying.

(With inputs from agencies)