TikTok is threatened with a ban in the USA. Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a revised bill that includes the short-video app in a broader foreign aid package that could accelerate the timeline for a possible ban. TikTok has now commented on the move, saying the US House bill will “trample” free speech.
“It is regrettable that the House of Representatives is using the guise of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again push through a ban bill that would trample on the free speech rights of 170 million Americans,” TikTok said in a statement, according to the news agency Reuters.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposed the House bill on free speech grounds. The report also noted that some Democrats have also expressed free speech concerns about a ban and have instead called for stricter privacy laws.
Additionally, X (formerly Twitter) is the owner Elon Musk has also voiced his opinion against the TikTok ban in the US, stating that the ban will help his platform but “it would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression.”
What is the new “TikTok ban” bill?
The revised bill, which passed the US House of Representatives on Saturday (April 20), extends the original six-month divestiture period for the app's China-based owner ByteDance to about nine months.
However, this extended time frame may be extended for an additional 90 days at the discretion of the White House. According to reports, those lawmakers who previously had doubts have supported the new bill.
The US wants TikTok to either divest its business or face a ban in the US, citing national security reasons and sharing US users' data with its China-based parent company. TikTok has insisted it has never shared US data and never would.
“It is regrettable that the House of Representatives is using the guise of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again push through a ban bill that would trample on the free speech rights of 170 million Americans,” TikTok said in a statement, according to the news agency Reuters.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposed the House bill on free speech grounds. The report also noted that some Democrats have also expressed free speech concerns about a ban and have instead called for stricter privacy laws.
Additionally, X (formerly Twitter) is the owner Elon Musk has also voiced his opinion against the TikTok ban in the US, stating that the ban will help his platform but “it would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression.”
What is the new “TikTok ban” bill?
The revised bill, which passed the US House of Representatives on Saturday (April 20), extends the original six-month divestiture period for the app's China-based owner ByteDance to about nine months.
However, this extended time frame may be extended for an additional 90 days at the discretion of the White House. According to reports, those lawmakers who previously had doubts have supported the new bill.
The US wants TikTok to either divest its business or face a ban in the US, citing national security reasons and sharing US users' data with its China-based parent company. TikTok has insisted it has never shared US data and never would.
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