The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill for the social media platform TikTok.
SAN FRANCISCO – The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill for the social media platform TikTok.
Lawmakers want TikTok to be spun off from its Chinese parent company or banned in the U. S. U. S. Lawmakers say the app has raised national security concerns. However, banning the app could be financially negative for small businesses that use the platform to reach their audience.
TikTok, known for its short-form video format, may soon have a deadline.
The U. S. House of Representatives voted to force the social media company to spin off its Chinese parent company within five months or leave U. S. app stores.
The app is said to be a hit with some 170 million Americans, many of whom use it to promote themselves or their products. Many of those content creators rely on the platform.
Analysts estimate that citations were valued at around $18 billion last year.
Congress may move forward this week with a measure that could end up banning TikTok in the U. S. The law would force TikTok’s parent company, China-based ByteDance, to sell off or face a national ban. Technical journalist Shibani Joshi joined us live on The Nine for more information.
“There’s a big economy built around TikTok,” said Bob O’Donnell of TECHnalysis Research. “To the creators who create this content and make a living creating this content. To the corporations that promote it on TikTok. All of those things are obviously going to be influenced through this. “
Lawmakers worry that the Chinese government is simply using the app to advance its agenda.