On March 16, 2024, A bipartisan bill aimed at prohibiting the operation of TikTok, a popular short-video sharing app owned by Chinese company ByteDance, successfully passed through the US House of Representatives. The proposed legislation, named the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” empowers the US President to eliminate any digital platform or app from American cyberspace on the grounds of national security. The bill now awaits a vote in the Senate. If approved, it will require ByteDance to divest its shares within 180 days to avoid a nationwide ban.

The House vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the bill, with 352 votes for and only 65 against. After gaining approval from the Energy and Commerce Committee earlier this month, the bill was expedited for a vote. Although the legislation does not explicitly mention TikTok, the app was the primary focus of criticism in the statements made by Congress members regarding the bill. Committee Chair Mike Gallagher issued a warning to TikTok to sever ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) or face losing access to its American users.

TikTok, with over a billion users, is the fourth largest social media platform globally in terms of monthly active users. It is twice the size of Snapchat and is rapidly closing in on Instagram. The rapid growth of this Chinese app, particularly among the Gen Z demographic, has caused concern in the US due to its potential to challenge the dominance of similar American platforms. This has led to ongoing discussions about banning TikTok in the US, a move first attempted by former President Donald Trump in 2020. The most recent push for a ban was triggered by testimony from FBI Director Christopher Wray, who stated before Congress last year that TikTok is a tool of the Chinese government and presents significant national security concerns.

Despite these concerns, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, addressed these and other issues in a hostile committee hearing last year. He asserted that ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and that TikTok does not manipulate content at the behest of the Chinese government. He also revealed a plan to ensure American data is stored on American soil by an American company, overseen by American personnel. Despite these assurances, lawmakers remained unconvinced.

The focus on TikTok is believed to stem from the US’s preoccupation with China and its products. This is evidenced by the intense scrutiny faced by TikTok’s CEO regarding his citizenship and potential ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Meanwhile, US lawmakers seem to overlook the data privacy issues faced by Big Tech companies such as Facebook.

The push to ban TikTok appears to be part of a broader geopolitical conflict between the US and China. The Chinese government has reacted strongly to this move, accusing the US of bullying tactics when it cannot succeed in fair competition.

The ban on TikTok is not isolated to the US. India was the first country to ban the app in 2020, citing privacy and national sovereignty concerns. This move was followed by other key strategic allies of the US, including all members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing network and several European countries.

The scrutiny faced by TikTok due to its Chinese origins and its potential to challenge the global dominance of similar American services raises questions about the motivations behind the proposed ban. It has been suggested that American tech capitalists may also have influenced the push against TikTok in Congress.

China’s response to the proposed ban has been to highlight the irony of the US’s stance, given that many Western web platforms are blocked from operating in China. The Chinese government maintains strict control over the spread of information online and censors social media content it deems politically sensitive.

The proposed legislation has faced criticism from TikTok creators and users and is expected to face a tougher challenge in the US Senate. However, the White House has indicated that President Joe Biden would sign the bill into law if it reaches his desk.