US House passes bill that could ban TikTok nationwide

The US House of Representatives has approved significant legislation that may lead to the banning of TikTok in the United States. Under this legislation, the Chinese parent company of the popular social media platform, ByteDance, would have a six-month window to divest its controlling stake, failing which the app would be barred from operation in the US.

Despite enjoying broad support in a bipartisan vote, the bill must still navigate through the Senate and receive the president’s signature to become law. Lawmakers have expressed longstanding concerns regarding China’s sway over TikTok.

Owned by the Chinese firm ByteDance, established in 2012, TikTok’s parent company is headquartered in Beijing but registered in the Cayman Islands, with operational bases spread across Europe and the US.

Should the legislation successfully pass the Senate, President Joe Biden has committed to promptly signing it, potentially sparking a diplomatic standoff with China.