Senate passes TikTok ban bill, sending it to Biden, who has already committed to signing it

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses a bill passed by the U.S. Senate that would force the China-based company ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban of the platform in the U.S. The bill has now been sent to President Biden, who has committed to signing it into law.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The TikTok Bill

1. What are the key details of the TikTok bill that was passed by the Senate?

• The bill would force ByteDance, the China-based company that owns TikTok, to sell the platform or face a U.S. ban
• ByteDance would have up to a year to complete the sale, with an initial 9-month timeline and the possibility of a 3-month extension
• The bill was included in a larger foreign aid package, which allowed it to pass the Senate more easily
• The House had previously passed the TikTok bill as a standalone measure, but key Senate leaders were initially noncommittal about its future

2. What are the main concerns that led to the passage of this bill?

• Lawmakers and intelligence officials are concerned that TikTok's ownership by a China-based company could endanger the data of its U.S. users, due to a Chinese national security law that can compel companies to hand over internal information
• There are also concerns that the Chinese government could influence the content and messages that U.S. users see on TikTok

3. How did the bill address concerns about young Americans losing access to TikTok?

• Senator Warner acknowledged the concerns of young Americans who use TikTok and fear the platform will go away
• He stated that the goal is not to take away their voice, but to address the threats posed by foreign control of TikTok
• Warner expressed hope that TikTok will continue under new, American or otherwise, ownership after the sale

[02] Potential Legal Challenges

1. How does the article suggest TikTok may respond to the bill?

• According to the article, TikTok previously told employees that if the law is passed, the company will challenge it in court
• This suggests TikTok may pursue legal challenges to try to block or delay the enforcement of the bill

2. What potential obstacles to enforcement of the bill are mentioned?

• The article notes that legal challenges could possibly delay the enforcement of the bill, even after it is signed into law by President Biden