TikTok once again finds itself in a precarious position as lawmakers in Washington move forward with a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban on the platform.
The House passed legislation on March 13 that would ban TikTok if its China-based owner, ByteDance, doesn’t sell its stakes in the popular social media platform within six months of the bill’s enactment.
The bill would also require ByteDance to give up control of TikTok’s well-known algorithm, which feeds users content based off their preferences.
Lawmakers from both parties – as well as law enforcement and intelligence officials – have long expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on the 170 million Americans who use TikTok.
If the House bill becomes law, it would be bad news for small businesses who rely on the platform for marketing or sell products on TikTok Shop — the company’s e-commerce arm. It would also impact the lives of social media influencers who have spent years cultivating their following on the platform, and rely on it to acquire brand deals or other types of income.
