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.

  • AcidLeaves [he/him, he/him]
    ·
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    Quote me when this happens:

    Biden has publicly stated he'll sign the bill if it reaches his desk. But what will happen is that he'll actually make a big fuss about how he has "heard the voices of the American people, and especially the youth and future generation of this country" and veto the bill instead. Thus, ensuring both the largest voter turnout from young adults in decades and his second term election win

    • happybadger [he/him]
      hexagon
      ·
      7 months ago

      That would be the electoral equivalent of pretending a spoonful of food is a plane to trick a toddler into eating it. I don't see democrats being competent enough to open their mouths.

    • Dessa [she/her]
      ·
      7 months ago

      After he's hung congress out to dry and told AIPAC no?

    • quarrk [he/him]
      ·
      7 months ago

      Nah this makes him look worse than doing nothing at all.

      A second Cold War is sufficient to explain it. That, and the US’s desire to have complete control over social media.

    • RuthlessCriticism [comrade/them]
      ·
      7 months ago

      0% chance, it is attached to all the military goodies. Also the ban won't come into effect before the election in any case.

        • Adkml [he/him]
          ·
          7 months ago

          Near as I can tell that's his raison d'etre.