The chief executive of the app, TikTok has vowed to keep on fighting after the US House of Representatives passed a bill that could see the app banned in America. Shou Zi Chew released a video on TikTok, threatening legal action and warning. If the will becomes law it will mean the end of TikTok for it’s 170 million users in the US.
Here on we get into more from him as well as the US House of Representatives
The US Media- On Passing Bill to ban TikTok
Aron Delmo, the US business correspondant who is currently covering the developments on Capital Hill says that the House vote is what sets the stage to what can turn into an ultimatum to Byte Dance; TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent company.
“Sell off the app or it will be banned. Now, there’s a ways to go between here and there.” Says the representative.
The bill needs to go through the senate, where it faces an uncertain future. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been non-committal about whether he’ll bring it up for a vote, and some Senators have already vowed to vote against it. If it does move through the Senate, President Biden has said he’ll sign it.
Proponents of the bill argue that TikTok is a national security threat and that the app’s 170 million US users are vulnerable to data theft by the Chinese government.
“The priority here though is the National Security and again Chinese access to millions of American minds. I think that’s what the primary issue is. That there’s trade-offs when you deal with an issue like that, yeah there’s trade-offs”, says Dan Crenshaw, a US Representative ®
Amidst all the millions of people in protest of against banning of TikTok, a few more issues however remain. If President Joe Biden signs the bill in the law, it’s certain to be challenged in the courts, a force sale would also need an ‘okay’ of the Chinese government to which they’ve said no. And even it went ahead, the question of who ‘would buy it?’. If the bill is issued and Tiktok isn’t sold in around 6 months after, it will be blocked from all US app-stores and internet service providers.
Chinese Media- TikTok CEO’s response to the bill
Here’s what the TikTok Chief executive, Shou Zi Chew had to say on this issue as addresses it on a recent TikTok video as he vowed to keep fighting to keep TikTok in the US;
The CEO starts with, “Hi everyone, it’s Shou here. Just wanted to share some thoughts with our US users about the disappointing vote by the House of Representatives. There has been a lot of misinformation, and I hope to clarify some things.” He then proceeds to thank his TikTok community expressing his gratitude saying that the users are what made the platform special in the first place.
He also proceeds to ensure the users of the safe keeping of their private data. He urges, “This legislation if signed into law will lead to the ban of TikTok in the United Nations. Even the bill sponsors admit that’s their goal.” He also adds that the bill is likely to give more power to other social media companies as It will also take billions of dollars out of the pockets of creators and many other small businesses. He also added that it was likely to put more than 300,000 American jobs at risk.
With the app being a long running centre of tensions between US and China over trade, technology and human rights issues and with TikTok having constantly denied it being under the control of the Communist Party of China (CCP), the CEO Shou Zi Chew has urged it’s millions of American users to speak out against the vote.
The Tiktok creators also interviewed by the AFP, the US press media are opposing to the ban
