TikTok Cites Free Speech Concerns in Response to Potential U.S. Ban

TikTok reiterated free speech worries on Sunday after the House of Representatives passed a bill that could see the app banned in the U.S. if its Chinese owner, ByteDance, doesn't sell its stake within a year.

The House voted overwhelmingly in favor of the legislation, 360 to 58.

The bill now moves to the Senate for a potential vote in the coming days. President Biden has previously indicated he would sign legislation targeting TikTok.

National security concerns are at the heart of the push to ban TikTok.

Lawmakers from both parties and the Biden administration fear China could force the company to share data of its 170 million U.S. users.

This latest bill includes TikTok restrictions within a larger foreign aid package, potentially speeding up the ban process after a previous standalone bill stalled in the Senate.

"We are disappointed the House used crucial foreign aid legislation to push through a ban that would violate the free speech rights of millions of Americans," TikTok said in a statement.

The company has consistently argued against restrictions, calling a similar bill in February "censorship" and a Montana state ban a violation of the First Amendment.

The American Civil Liberties Union also opposes the House bill on free-speech grounds.

TikTok maintains it has never shared U.S. data with China and would never do so.

However, Senator Mark Warner, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, expressed concerns about TikTok's potential use as a propaganda tool by China, especially considering its popularity among young news consumers.

Free speech advocates like the Knight First Amendment Institute argue that a ban is ineffective.

They point out that China and other adversaries can still access American data through other means and spread disinformation on existing U.S. platforms.

Some Democrats share these concerns, advocating for stricter data privacy laws instead of a ban.

Representative Ro Khanna questioned the legality of a ban in light of free speech protections.

The House bill offers ByteDance nine months to divest its U.S. assets, with a possible three-month extension if the president sees progress towards a sale.

This is an extension from the six-month deadline in the previous bill.

The Senate Commerce Committee chair, Maria Cantwell, voiced support for the revised bill, having previously requested changes to the March 13th version.

The issue of TikTok ownership also came up during a recent call between President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping.