Graphic by Anabelle Coker | THE ALL STATE
It seems that everyone is freaking out about the proposed TikTok ban bill. There have been countless conversations about whether this should happen, seemingly with half of the platform’s users saying “Yes, ban it! Maybe then we can finally function normally.” and “No! What would we all do with our time without TikTok?”
Well, here are the specifics to help to clear the air.
This bill is referred to as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. It was first proposed in the House by representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorth. It has since received bipartisan support, which means that both Republican and Democratic representatives have agreed on the bill. The act has made the next move up into the Senate to be voted on, which has not yet happened.
Contrary to popular belief, this bill is not one against TikTok. It is a bill aimed at protecting National Security by shining light on its Chinese-owned parent company ByteDance. It is aimed at restricting the amount of U.S. information foreign adversaries are allowed to have access to.
If this bill gets passed, the government will not be allowed to physically and outright ban the app. Instead, they are requesting the company ByteDance sell the app to a U.S. brand to restrict the information being shared to China.
TikTok is home to millions of creators and small business owners. If the Chinese parent company refuses to sell, it will put thousands of citizens out of their platforms and their jobs. TikTok is also a place where like-minded people connect with one another, and the app keeps people engaged like never before.
It is clear that so many people have such strong opinions about this bill and believe it could end U.S. access to the platform.
However, it is very possible the app will be sold to a U.S. executive because of the energy that has surrounded the potential ban if the bill ever makes it past the Senate.
