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TikTok leaders are pretty surprised that a bill to ban TikTok is zooming through Congress: report

Business Insider · 7m

A bill to ban TikTok in the US is rapidly progressing through Congress, catching the social media platform off guard. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Gallagher and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, requires ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the app to non-Chinese owners or face a ban in the US. The legislation, which was unexpectedly approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is set to be voted upon in the House and potentially move closer to President Joe Biden. TikTok expects the bill to pass and has condemned it as an infringement on Americans' freedom of expression. However, its fate in the Senate remains uncertain, with some Republican senators expressing concerns and opposition to the ban. American business leaders, such as former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, have also shown interest in acquiring TikTok. The push for a ban stems from concerns about user data privacy and TikTok's alleged ties to the Chinese government.