US app stores will be prohibited from carrying TikTok within 270 days unless its Chinese owner, ByteDance, sells the video-sharing platform, as Congress passed a security package aimed at countering threats from China. The Senate’s 79-18 vote on Tuesday approved the legislation, prompting TikTok to announce plans to legally challenge the “unconstitutional law” which it says would devastate businesses and silence millions of Americans.
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President Joe Biden is expected to sign the $95bn security aid package, which includes funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, into law. The legislation was fast-tracked after security officials warned that Beijing could potentially access the personal data of the 170 million Americans who use TikTok.
The bill’s passage reflects growing bipartisan concerns about Chinese influence. While TikTok denies Chinese government control, the bill’s supporters argue that it is necessary to protect national security. The fate of TikTok in the US now depends on legal battles and ByteDance’s willingness to divest the platform.
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