This article was last updated on March 14, 2024
Canada: 
Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
Table of Contents
Introduction
The future of TikTok in the United States looks dim as the US House of Representatives casts a shadow with a bill that could potentially lead to its ban. The bill underlines the feelings of fear in Americans as they suspect it to be a gateway for the Chinese government to extract personal data.
The Proposal
The bill passed with a majority 352 votes in favor, compared to 62 opposing votes. However, the terms of the proposal remain indirect about TikTok’s prohibition. The proposal magnifies stress on ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell the short video sharing application. The validity of this action gauges on the Beijing government’s approval which appears to be uncertain. Should this deal not materialize, an implicit ban becomes the verdict. The imposition that would restrict TikTok’s availability on Apple and Google’s download stores including its hosting provider.
Debates and Oppositions
As this could stifle Americans’ freedom of expression, the proposal met with debates before the final vote. Among the dissenting voices was Republican Massie who expressed his concerns. Democratic Congresswoman and high-profile political figure, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, voiced her stand against the proposal. According to her, the rushed nature of the bill drafting was questionable. She also believes in a requirement for a public explanation of the national security concerns before voting on the law. However, some like her party colleague Nancy Pelosi, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, supports the bill. Pelosi views the app as a threat to democracy through the spread of misinformation. In her words, the bill aims “to make TikTok better”.
The Road Ahead
With the bill being passed by the House of Representatives, the future of TikTok now lies in the hands of the Senate. The law will reach President Biden for approval only if it passes through the Senate. He has already indicated his willingness to sign the bill. While it was soon clear that the members of the House would be in favor, support from the Senate remains uncertain as they have shown more critique towards the proposal. In this tense situation, TikTok is not to be left behind. The firm plans to leverage this uncertainty and will spare no effort to lobby against the proposed ban. TikTok’s CEO who happens to be in Washington this week plans to utilize this time to convince as many senators as possible that this ban is a poor choice. Moreover, should the proposal pass, TikTok will undoubtedly resort to legal measures to block the law. The company plans to fight tooth and nail to safeguard its app’s existence in the US.
Wider Impact
As the ban looms over TikTok in the US, its ripples will be felt far and wide, including countries like the Netherlands. Joey Scheufler, the director of Prappers, an agency which specializes in creating TikTok videos for corporations and government, anticipates notable consequences. He explained, “Many videos that Dutch users watch come from America. Essentially, all trends come from America, which are then replicated by many creators and influencers in the Netherlands.”
Conclusion
Scheufler concludes that even though the ban is not worldwide, its impact could be substantial. It could mark the beginning of the end for the platform, especially as users may gravitate towards alternatives like Instagram’s Reels or YouTube’s Shorts.
Be the first to comment