TL/DR –
U.S. lawmakers have passed a bill that would force Chinese company ByteDance to sell the popular app TikTok or face a ban in the United States. The move follows a failed attempt by former president Donald Trump in 2020 to force a sale of the app, which was thwarted by Beijing’s curbs on technology exports. Despite the bill passing in the House, its future in the Senate is uncertain due to opposition from Trump, leading some to believe the issue may eventually fade away.
US Lawmakers Reignite TikTok Ownership Battle
The Chinese government, previously known for its aggressive stance on TikTok’s ownership issues, now seems composed amidst renewed Washington frenzy. Beijing thwarted a 2020 attempt by the then US President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order compelling TikTok’s Chinese owners to divest the app. This was achieved by implementing restrictions on technology exports. Last year, a TikTok ban in Montana, enacted by state legislators, was blocked by a federal judge.
US House Passes New Bill on TikTok Ownership
Wednesday saw the US House pass a bill by a 352-to-65 vote, aimed at coercing ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, to relinquish control over the app. Beijing officials lambasted the bill but refrained from issuing retaliatory threats against American businesses. The bill’s fate in the Senate remains uncertain, with Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, opposing the bill.
China’s Calculated Restraint Amidst TikTok Frenzy
Experts attribute Beijing’s restraint to several factors. Scott Kennedy of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington notes that China has legal resources to potentially block the sale. “China is not ready to pull the trigger outright for a full-scale retaliation against what the United States is doing,” he said.
TikTok’s Expanding Influence and US Security Concerns
TikTok’s user base in the United States has surged from 100 million in 2020 to an estimated 170 million currently. Lawmakers express concerns over Beijing potentially using TikTok for spreading Chinese Communist Party messages or accessing sensitive data about American users.
TikTok’s Data and Privacy Measures
TikTok claims to have implemented measures to protect American users’ data and privacy. It proposed storing US user data on domestic servers controlled by Oracle. Despite these measures, experts believe there’s “absolutely zero trust between TikTok and Washington at this point.”
China’s Stance on TikTok’s Core Algorithm Sale
Beijing could potentially block the sale of TikTok’s core algorithm, the element that makes the app addictive. Inside China, the consensus among academics and commentators is that Beijing would not permit ByteDance to sell this technology abroad. Any sale without this algorithm would result in a less attractive product, according to Jin Canrong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing.
Chinese Public Outrage Over US Actions
Chinese state-controlled media and social media platforms reacted strongly against the US bill. “TikTok fights back” trended on Weibo as TikTok urged its users to mobilize against the House bill. Critics view the bill as an attempt to stifle free-market competition and fear it could set a precedent for other Chinese tech companies.
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