TikTok Ban Approved by Congress in U.S. House Vote
TikTok's ban has been approved by the House and will head to the Senate.
The United States House of Representatives has voted in favor of a bill banning TikTok. This does not mean that the app will be banned in the U.S. just yet, as the bill will have to get approved in the Senate, first. However, the first major step has now happened, and it does pose a lot of questions for users. If the bill does get passed by the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden, then TikTok's owner ByteDance will have five months to sell the company. After that time, companies like Apple and Google would be prohibited from offering the app on their storefronts.
Why Would TikTok Get Banned?
Much of the opposition to TikTok has come from the fact that it's owned by a Chinese company. Legislators in the United States have made the argument that the Chinese government would be able to spy on citizens through the country's intelligence laws. Basically, this means that legislators are concerned that TikTok could end up proving to be a threat to national security. This has been a major cause for concern for politicians for several years now, with former President Donald Trump advocating for a ban all the way back in 2020.
Unsurprisingly, TikTok has widely opposed the legislation. Last year, a statement from the company noted that the legislation would have a "considerable negative impact on the free speech rights of millions of Americans who use and love Tiktok." At this time, we don't know who could end up owning TikTok, or if the company will simply cease operations in the United States, should a full ban go into effect. This is definitely a new situation, but if it does come down to it, there are bound to be a lot of interested buyers. After all, TikTok currently has a massive user base; according to CNN, TikTok is currently used by more than 170 million Americans, who are no doubt wondering what will happen from here.
Who Could Own TikTok?
In a situation where TikTok does end up getting sold, there's no telling who could end up owning the company. However, a recent report from The Wall Street Journal claims that Bobby Kotick has shown an interest and is looking for partners. The former CEO of Activision Blizzard left the company last year following its purchase by Microsoft. In the years leading up to his departure, Kotick became a highly controversial figure in the video game industry. As reports spread about racism, sexism, and a "frat boy culture" at the company, there were numerous demands for Kotick's resignation. Kotick managed to weather the storm and remain as CEO through the sale of the company, and it seems he now might have his eye on TikTok.
Do you think that TikTok will end up getting banned in the United States? Do you think that the app will end up getting sold to someone else? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!