By Zainab Shafiq 
US politicians are considering sweeping legislation that could effectively ban TikTok unless the popular social media platform is sold by its Chinese owners, citing significant security concerns. The bill has already garnered substantial support in the House of Representatives, with 352 representatives voting in favor and 65 against it. Now, the bill moves to the Senate for further review, where President Biden has signaled his support and pledged to sign it into law if approved.
However, not everyone is in agreement with the proposed legislation. Former President Trump has criticized the bill, suggesting that it would unfairly benefit competitors like Facebook. If passed, the legislation would mandate ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest its ownership of the platform within six months.
The potential ban would entail the removal of TikTok from app stores, effectively halting new downloads and updates. TikTok’s CEO has warned of the negative impact on American jobs and has vowed to oppose any potential sale to a non-Chinese entity.
The proposed ban has sparked mixed reactions among users, with some creators staging protests outside the White House, while others advocate against the ban. Moreover, the ban could set a precedent for similar actions in other countries, given that TikTok is already banned in India and several other nations.
Central to the concerns surrounding TikTok are its data collection practices, with critics highlighting potential privacy risks associated with the app’s algorithm. As the debate intensifies, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, pending the outcome of legislative deliberations and potential sales negotiations.
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