US House votes to ban TikTok, but the app won't go away anytime soon
File photo of the TikTok logo and the US flag.
The US House of Representatives on Saturday (Apr 20) passed legislation that would ban TikTok in the country if the platform's China-based owner ByteDance doesn’t sell its stake within a year. A report by the news agency Associated Press said that the decision by House Republicans to include TikTok as part of a larger foreign aid package fast-tracked the ban after an earlier version had stalled in the Senate.
A standalone bill with a shorter deadline passed the House in March by an overwhelming bipartisan vote as both Democrats and Republicans voiced national security concerns about ByteDance.
The modified measure, passed by a 360-58 vote, now goes to the Senate after negotiations that lengthensthe timeline for the company to sell to nine months, with a possible additional three months if a sale is in progress, the report said.
Legal challenges could extend that timeline even further, and TikTok is not expected to go away anytime soon.
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Joe Biden to sign legislation
US President Joe Biden has stated that he would sign Saturday's legislation.
Earlier this month, President Biden reiterated his concerns about TikTok in a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
TikTok reacts to legislation
TikTok was quick to react to Saturday's legislation, saying a ban would trample free speech, and devastate businesses.
Also watch |TikTok remains popular despite US lawmakers flagging concerns
"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, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the US economy, annually," TikTok said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)