{"id":28681,"date":"2024-04-22T17:22:24","date_gmt":"2024-04-22T17:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radiantmedia.io\/?p=28681"},"modified":"2024-04-22T17:22:25","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T17:22:25","slug":"tiktok-warns-that-us-ban-will-trample-free-expression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/34.197.49.85\/?p=28681","title":{"rendered":"TikTok Warns That US Ban Will ‘Trample Free Expression’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TikTok claims that a prospective ban on its app in the US would “trample the free speech” of 170 million Americans.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The US House of Representatives voted on Saturday to ban TikTok unless the app’s owner cuts connections with China.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The legislation was part of a US foreign policy package that included help for Ukraine and may become law as soon as next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent months, US officials have expressed concern over TikTok’s appeal among young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They claim TikTok’s owner, Bytedance, is subordinate to Beijing, something it has often rejected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ MORE: US Congress Presses Ahead With Bill To Pressure TikTok\u2019s Chinese Owner To Sell<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The TikTok legislation was part of a package adopted by lawmakers that will provide $61 billion (\u00a349 billion) in foreign aid to Ukraine, as well as money to Israel and Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The House of Representatives voted first on TikTok’s future, passing the modified divest-or-ban law by 360 to 58.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The Senate is set to vote on the bill next week, and US President Joe Biden has previously stated that he will sign it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the bill passes, Bytedance will have nine months to sell its stake – with a possible three-month extension while the transaction is underway – or face a ban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A TikTok representative condemned the bill, claiming it “would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate seven million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion (\u00a319.4 billion) to the US economy annually.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to TikTok, ByteDance “is not an agent of China or any other country”. And ByteDance says it is not a Chinese company, citing the many global investment groups that own 60% of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ MORE: Universal Music Group Is Considering Serious Legal Action Against TikTok Over DMCA Violations. Here\u2019s What We Know So Far<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US House of Representatives voted in March to give ByteDance six months to sell TikTok to non-Chinese owners or disable the app in the US, but the law is currently awaiting Senate approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ByteDance, founded in 2012 by Chinese entrepreneurs, first achieved success with the short video app Douyin in China. A year later, it introduced TikTok, an international version.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
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The social media app was prohibited in China yet grew to a billion users in five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is now managed by a limited liability corporation based in Los Angeles and Singapore, but it is primarily owned by ByteDance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While its founders own only 20% of ByteDance, they have the majority share in the company. Institutional investors own around 60%, including prominent US investment firms including General Atlantic, Susquehanna, and Sequoia Capital.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

READ MORE: Mike Pence Launches $2 Million Ad Campaign To Push TikTok Ban Through The Senate<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The remaining 20% is held by employees worldwide. Three of the board’s five members are American.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Beijing’s growing grasp on private enterprises has raised concerns in the United States about the Chinese Communist Party’s control over ByteDance and the data it holds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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China dismisses these fears as American paranoia, warning that a TikTok ban will “inevitably come back to bite the US”.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

To address security concerns, TikTok has routed all US customers’ data through the Texas-based software firm Oracle since 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

TikTok has stated that US data will be ringfenced and housed on Oracle servers in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before Saturday’s vote, Democratic Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi told the BBC’s World Business Report that they want the app to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think that it still has a lot of good content,” he added. “But most important thing is that it’s not under the control or operation of an adversary country.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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