TikTok in Trouble

On March 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill. The bill could force the company that owns TikTok to sell it. People in Congress think the app is a threat to national security.

ByteDance is the company that owns TikTok. It’s based in China. Lawmakers worry the app is collecting user data and could be used to influence U.S. elections. If TikTok continues to be owned by ByteDance, the app could be banned in the U.S.

Raja Krishnamoorthi helped introduce the bill. He says that as long as TikTok is owned by ByteDance, it answers to the Chinese government. So it may pose “critical threats” to the U.S.

The bill must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Then it must be signed by the president before taking effect. If the bill passes, the president would have 
new power over social-media platforms. Those owned by countries hostile to the U.S. could be named as threats. He would likely do this with TikTok.

TikTok has asked its users to rally against the bill. It says a ban will “destroy the livelihoods of countless creators.”