Congress is sending a strong message to China: either sell TikTok or face a ban. President Joe Biden, who recently joined TikTok, is now on the verge of signing a bill that could potentially prohibit the popular app. The Senate approved a measure on April 23rd to target ”foreign adversary controlled applications”, which includes TikTok, as part of a bill supporting military aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Despite the concerns of his 300,000 followers and TikTok’s 170 million American users, President Biden is determined to enact this law.
The legislation will require ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to sell the app to a non-Chinese entity within nine months. Various potential buyers, including Microsoft, Oracle, and Walmart, have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok. Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is also assembling a group of investors for this purpose.
However, there is uncertainty surrounding the sale as the Chinese government, which holds a stake in ByteDance, has indicated reluctance to part ways with TikTok. They consider the app’s recommendation algorithm a sensitive technology that requires official approval for export. In a warning to ByteDance, a Chinese government spokesperson emphasized the need to comply with Chinese laws and regulations strictly.
2024-04-23 21:13:18
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