US Senate approves potential TikTok ban

The US Senate has approved a controversial landmark bill that could see TikTok banned in America.

It gives TikTok’s Chinese owner, Byte Dance, nine months to sell its stake or the app will be blocked in the United States.

The bill will now be handed over to US President, Joe Biden, who has said he will sign it into law as soon as it reaches his desk.

If that happens, Byte Dance will have to seek approval from Chinese officials to complete a forced sale, which Beijing has vowed to oppose. Analysts say the process could take years.
The measure was passed as part of a package of four bills which also included military aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and other US partners in the Indo- Pacific.

It got widespread support from lawmakers with 79 Senators voting for it and 18 voting against it.

“For years we’ve allowed the Chinese Communist party to control one of the most popular apps in America that was dangerously short-sighted,” said Senator Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee.

“A new law is going to require its Chinese owner to sell the app. This is a good move for America,” he added.

TikTok did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.

Last week, the social media company said the bill would “trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate seven million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the US economy, annually.”

TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, said last month the company will continue to do all it can including exercising its “legal rights” to protect the platform.

University of Richmond law professor, Carl Tobias told the BBC that a prolonged legal battle is likely to follow and that “could take about two years”.

He also said if a buyer for ByteDance’s stake is not found within the nine-month period, it could delay any action against TikTok in the US further.