TikTok is feeling the heat in the US, where its future hangs in the balance. This nation is one of the most important markets for the short video platform, but it's facing more and more hurdles. Recently, the Senate passed a bill requiring TikTok's Chinese parent company (Bytedance) to sell the platform or face an entire ban.
However, reports indicate that this move is likely to be legally contested as it has faced increased criticism from lawmakers. As per a report by AP, the prospective ban could eventually impact the content creators present on the platform who are totally dependent on TikTok for their incomes.
While the bill was being passed in the Senate, the chairperson of the Commerce Committee, Maria Cantwell, said, “Congress is not acting to punish ByteDance, TikTok or any other individual company. Congress is acting to prevent foreign adversaries from conducting espionage, surveillance, maligned operations, harming vulnerable Americans, our servicemen and women, and our US government personnel."
The TikTok legislation was a part of the $95 billion package, which also includes foreign aid for nations at war, Ukraine and Israel. The Senate voted 79-18 in favor of it. It is now headed to President Joe Biden, who wasted no time saying he'll sign it Wednesday.
The law gives ByteDance a nine-month window to sell TikTok, with a potential three-month extension if a sale is underway. The law also prohibits the parent company from overseeing the technology of TikTok that personalises video content for users.
