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TikTok protests U.S. ban with ‘free speech’ card
We want TikTok to continue to operate but we don’t want it to operate under CCP control, Rep. Krishnamoorthi said.
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TikTok reiterated its concerns regarding free speech after a bill that proposes to ban the social media app in the U.S. was passed by the House of Representatives.
The bill seeks to enforce a ban on the app if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, does not divest its stake in TikTok within a year. "It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans," TikTok said in a statement.
The House approved the legislation on Apr. 20 with a vote margin of 360 to 58. The bill will now proceed to the Senate, where it may be considered for a vote in the coming days. President Joe Biden has expressed his intention to sign the legislation concerning TikTok.
Numerous U.S. lawmakers, spanning both Republican and Democratic parties, along with the Biden administration, assert that TikTok presents national security risks. Concerns revolve around the possibility of China compelling the company to share the data of its 170 million U.S. users.
Indian American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi expressed his unwavering support for the legislation in a statement on X. Speaking on the importance of the bill he said, “It divests TikTok from ByteDance, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). We want TikTok to continue to operate but we don’t want it to operate under CCP control,” Krishnamoorthi said.
Today’s vote to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as measures including forcing TikTok to divest from its CCP-controlled parent company, ByteDance, show the world we can overcome partisanship to support our friends and stand up for our values. pic.twitter.com/Maj41t6Dl3
— Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (@CongressmanRaja) April 20, 2024
In February, TikTok criticized the original bill, which ultimately stalled in the Senate, expressing concerns that it would "censor millions of Americans." The company similarly argued that a state ban on TikTok in Montana, passed last year, amounted to a violation of the First Amendment.
The House voted on Mar. 13 to provide ByteDance with approximately six months to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok or face a ban. The legislation passed on Apr. 20 extends this deadline to nine months, with the possibility of a three-month extension if the president determines progress toward a sale.
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