TikTok faces US ban as House approves demand for sale

13th Mar 2024 14:47

(Sharecast News) - US lawmakers on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to demand the Chinese owners of the TikTok video app to sell or be banned in the country.

The House of Representatives Republican leadership pushed through the Bill with limited debate and it was passed by 352 votes to 65. It will face a tougher time in the Senate, where it needs approval before it becomes law.

Senate majority leader Senator Chuck Schumer of New York has not indicated whether he would bring the Bill to the floor for a vote.

Opponents of TikTok's owner ByteDance claim that the parent company's relationship with Beijing raises national security risks. The bill is aimed at forcing a sale within six months. President Joe Biden has said he would approve the sale if it resolved national security concerns, but if this did not occur the app would be banned.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com