The app's Chinese owner, Bytedance, has six months to sell its stake or TikTok will be blocked.

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

It gives TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, six 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 vowed to sign it into law as soon as it reaches his desk.

If that happens, ByteDance will have to seek approval from Chinese officials to complete a forced sale, which Beijing has vowed to oppose.

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.

  • EmmaGoldman [she/her, comrade/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    27·
    6 months ago

    Given the fact that side loading apps is easy on android and functionally not possible on iOS in the US, this style of ban may actually drive young people away from iOS when they see their Android-using peers still using TikTok unimpeded.