House passes legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - The House of Representatives voted to pass legislation on Wednesday that could ban TikTok in the U.S. The vote was 352-65, with one member voting present.
Legislators on both sides of the aisle have sounded the alarm that the popular video-sharing app is a national security threat.
TikTok, owned by China-based parent company ByteDance, has mounted an aggressive lobbying campaign to kill the bill, arguing that it would violate the first amendment rights of its 170 million U.S. users and harm thousands of small businesses, influences and content creators that rely on it.
The bill now heads to the senate, where it faces an uncertain fate.
TikTok, in a statement, is calling on senators to consider the facts before their vote.
President Joe Biden has said that if the bill reaches his desk, he will sign it into law.
Following the vote, Arizona Representative Ruben Gallego issued a statement saying:
"As the ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, I know all too well the threat China poses here at home — banning TikTok and limiting the freedoms of Arizonans before exploring other options is not the answer. It's vital we find a balance that both protects our national security interests and respects our fundamental rights. This is not that."
