Was expected. It was something that was known to happen a few years ago, when the United States began its particular technological war with China, and the first victim was Huawei. Now it's the turn of the Chinese social network TikTok: This application could not be part of the virtual stores in the country.
Although it is not (yet) a law, has taken an important step towards becoming a realitytaking into account that today the legislators of the lower house approved a bill to seal the ban.
The most interesting fact is not that The vote was 360 against 58, but the project is part of a wide-ranging aid package for Israel and Ukraine. In this way, at the same time, they focus on the rush for the Senate and link it to two active war conflicts. And, since it is a package of laws, everything is played in black or white: if they do not approve one, none are approved. A complex pulse of politics, technology and defense.
In United States The social network has 170 million users and its parent company ByteDance has already been facing the US Congress for months over the ban. In fact, this bill looks a lot like a previous version, passed in March, that would ban TikTok from U.S. app stores unless it finds a new owner, and quickly.
Political analysts expect the Senate to approve aid to Israel and Ukraine, given the current situation in both countries, which would force TikTok to react faster than expected. Paul Gallant, a policy analyst at market research firm Cowen Inc. estimates that the Chances of approval in the Senate are 80%in an interview with The New York Times.
“We think it is unlikely that TikTok will be removed from the larger package of the bill – notes Gallant -. It is likely that the Senate pass legislation within a week or twoalthough Senate leaders have indicated that it could be approved even sooner.”
To this we must add that President Joe Biden had already indicated that he would sign the legislation on TikTok if it reaches his desk. Behind this law is the fear of American policy that its Chinese origin will become a risk to national security.
The version of the bill passed Saturday, if signed, would give TikTok 270 days to find a new owner, compared to the approximately six months contemplated in previous versions. But the White House has the option of extending that period another 90 days: TikTok would have to change ownership in a year to remain available in the United States.
As was logical, TikTok has openly opposed the bill. For weeks, TikTok has waged an intense campaign in an attempt to defeat the legislation, arguing that it violates the First Amendment rights of its users and threatens small businesses.
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…
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) April 18, 2024
“It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the façade of significant foreign and humanitarian assistance to hinder once again a ban bill that would trample on the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shut down a platform that contributes $24 billion to the American economy annually,” TikTok pointed out on Twitter.