On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a bill with wide support from both sides of the aisle that would require the owners of TikTok to either sell the company within six months or the popular social media application to be banned in the US. TikTok has been under the threat of being banned in the US since 2020 due to its parent company, ByteDance, which is based out of Beijing, and its relationship with the Chinese government. 

Supporters of this bill have speculated that the Chinese government can use information gained from users on TikTok and to amplify certain content that fits the Chinese narrative while suppressing content that goes against their values. However, the company has pointed to “Project Texas,” which TikTok implemented in 2022 to safeguard American users’ data in the US to appease lawmakers’ concerns.

The opposition to this new bill discussed its infringement on freedom of speech granted by the First Amendment and TikTok’s popularity among the American public. Legal experts have pointed out that the bill will likely face scrutiny in the courts relating to its potential breaches of the First Amendment. 

It is not known yet when the Senate plans to vote on the bill, as they have not seemed to be in a rush to get the bill sent to President Biden, who has stated that he plans on signing the bill. However, the wide bipartisan support from the House combined with the President’s urges to move quickly have put pressure on the Senate to vote on it.