A bill to either divest or ban the app TikTok is gaining momentum in Congress after it was linked to the aid package for Ukraine and Israel, as outlined in a memo from House Speaker Johnson.
The legislation, fast-tracked for consideration, would compel TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the platform or risk it being banned in the U.S. Johnson explained in a memo to House Republicans that a vote on the final passage of these bills is expected Saturday evening .
The impetus behind the bill stems from concerns regarding the vast amounts of personal user data amassed by TikTok and ByteDance. Critics argue that this data collection poses a national security risk, fearing that the information could be accessed by the Chinese government.
One notable change in the latest version of the bill is the extended timeframe given to TikTok's owner for divestment. The new bill allows for a 9-month period for the sale, with the possibility of an additional 3-month grace period. In contrast, the earlier bill stipulated a shorter six-month window for ByteDance to divest TikTok or risk a nationwide ban.
The current version of the TikTok bill follows a previous attempt that successfully passed in the House but encountered challenges in the Senate. By linking this bill to aid packages for Ukraine and Israel, there's potential for it to move through Congress more swiftly.
