The US Senate has passed a contentious landmark bill that potentially paves the way for TikTok to be prohibited in the United States.
ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, has been given a nine-month ultimatum to divest its stake, failing which the app may face a ban in the United States.
Following Senate approval, the bill is set to be forwarded to US President Joe Biden, who has affirmed his intention to endorse it upon receipt. ByteDance, when approached by the BBC, indicated that it did not have an immediate reaction to the development.
Previously, the company expressed its firm opposition to any coercion regarding the sale of TikTok.
Should the US succeed in pressuring ByteDance to sell TikTok, any resulting deal would still require endorsement from Chinese authorities, although Beijing has pledged to resist such endeavors. Analysts foresee a potentially protracted process that could extend over several years.
The legislation was enacted as one component within a collection of four bills, which additionally encompassed military assistance designated for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other key allies of the United States within the Indo-Pacific region.
Enjoying broad backing from legislators, the measure garnered approval from 79 Senators, while 18 voted in opposition.
“For years we’ve allowed the Chinese Communist party to control one of the most popular apps in America that was dangerously short-sighted,” said Senator Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee.
“A new law is going to require its Chinese owner to sell the app. This is a good move for America,” he added.
Concerns regarding the possibility of sensitive data pertaining to millions of Americans falling into the possession of China have spurred Congressional initiatives aimed at severing TikTok from its parent company headquartered in Beijing.
Last week, the social media company said the bill would “trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate seven million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the US economy, annually.”
TikTok has said ByteDance “is not an agent of China or any other country”. And ByteDance insists it is not a Chinese firm, pointing to the global investment firms that own 60% of it.
Its chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, said last month the company will continue to do all it can including exercising its “legal rights” to protect the platform.
Mr. Shou faced scrutiny from Congress twice within a year, where he played down the app’s ties to Chinese authorities, as well as his own personal connections.
The social media platform launched a significant lobbying effort to garner support against a potential ban.
Additionally, it encouraged TikTok users and creators to voice their opposition to the proposed legislation.
According to University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias, a prolonged legal battle is anticipated, which could span approximately two years.
Tobias also noted that if a buyer for ByteDance’s stake isn’t secured within the nine-month timeframe, it could further postpone any action against TikTok in the US.