U.S. Senate Passes Bill to Restrict TikTok: Potential Sale, Legal Battles, and National Security Concerns

Washington D.C., District of Columbia United States of America
Approximately 170 million Americans use TikTok, raising concerns about free speech and impact on small businesses.
ByteDance and TikTok spent over $7 million on lobbying and ads this year to prevent a potential U.S. ban.
Legal battles are expected as TikTok is likely to fight the legislation in court.
The Chinese government's potential involvement in the sale of TikTok's algorithm complicates the situation.
The legislation aims to give ByteDance up to one year to sell TikTok or face a ban from U.S. app stores and web hosting companies.
TikTok has argued that the legislation violates Americans' rights and could harm businesses relying on the platform for exposure.
TikTok's Beijing-based parent company denies requesting American users' data or handing it over if asked.
U.S. Senate passed a bill to restrict TikTok on April 23, 2024.
U.S. Senate Passes Bill to Restrict TikTok: Potential Sale, Legal Battles, and National Security Concerns

In a significant development, the U.S. Senate passed a bill on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 79-18. This legislation aims to restrict the popular social media app TikTok and gives its parent company ByteDance up to one year to sell the platform or face a ban from U.S. app stores and web hosting companies (The Washington Post, 2024).

With approximately 170 million Americans using TikTok, this move has raised concerns about potential infringement on users' rights to free speech and the impact on small businesses that rely on the app for exposure (USAToday, 2024). The Beijing-based parent company of TikTok denies requesting American users' data or handing it over if asked (USAToday, 2024).

The Chinese government's potential involvement in the sale of TikTok's algorithm adds complexity to the situation. Selling the app would be a complicated process due to its significant worth and China's potential blocking of such a sale (USAToday, 2024).

TikTok has previously argued that this legislation violates Americans' rights and could harm businesses relying on the platform for exposure. Legal battles are expected as TikTok is likely to fight the legislation in court, with previous attempts by former President Donald Trump also being blocked by federal judges (USAToday, 2024).

The House of Representatives passed a similar bill in March 2023, which would have given ByteDance roughly six months to divest the TikTok asset. However, this legislation has since stalled in the Senate (CNBC, 2024).

ByteDance and TikTok spent over $7 million on lobbying and ads this year to prevent a potential U.S. ban (CNBC, 2024). The companies have targeted Congress and federal officials with their lobbying efforts (CNBC, 2024).

The House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings in March 2023 regarding TikTok's alleged national security risks. During these hearings, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified about the company's commitment to user privacy and security (The Washington Post, 2024).

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) has been a vocal advocate for regulating TikTok due to national security concerns. She stated that intelligence briefings have shown that the Chinese government could use the app to collect data on American citizens (The Washington Post, 2024).

Meta, Google, and Amazon are among the tech companies reportedly interested in purchasing TikTok if a sale occurs (The Washington Post, 2024). However, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned that selling TikTok's algorithm could be challenging due to China's potential involvement (CNBC, 2024).


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are there any alternatives to TikTok that can be promoted for businesses and users if the app is banned in the U.S.?
  • How will the potential sale of TikTok to an American company affect user data privacy?
  • What are the implications of China's potential involvement in the sale of TikTok's algorithm?

Sources

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Everything TikTok users need to know about a possible ban

The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Shira Ovide, Wednesday, 24 April 2024 02:07
  • Unique Points
    • House lawmakers advanced a bill that could give the US government authority to ban TikTok
    • The bill requires ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell off the app or face a nationwide ban
    • TikTok would need to find a buyer for the app
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

82%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Congress passes TikTok sell-or-ban bill, but legal battles loom

USA Today Riley Beggin Tuesday, 23 April 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Senate passed a bill that would restrict TikTok and give its parent company, ByteDance, up to a year to sell the app or face a ban from US app stores and web hosting companies.
    • Around 170 million Americans use TikTok, and its Beijing-based parent company denies requesting American users’ data or handing it over if asked.
    • TikTok argues that the legislation violates Americans’ right to free speech and could harm small businesses who rely on the app for exposure.
    • Court and diplomatic battles are expected as TikTok is likely to fight the legislation in court, with previous attempts by former President Donald Trump also being blocked by federal judges.
    • Selling TikTok would be complicated due to its worth and China’s potential blocking of the sale of its algorithm.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of the app being a national security risk without mentioning any counterarguments or evidence to the contrary. The author also uses emotional manipulation by stating 'around 170 million Americans use the platform' and 'there has been no public evidence that the app is being used to spy on U.S. citizens, but reporting from multiple outlets have indicated TikTok’s American operation has struggled to fully separate from its Chinese parent company.' This creates a sense of urgency and fear without providing concrete evidence.
    • We are giving people a choice here: To improve this platform and have the opportunity for Americans to make sure that they are not being maligned by our foreign adversaries.
    • The Senate passed the package 79-18 and the House approved the TikTok portion of the bill 360-58.
    • That has worked in the past -- former President Donald Trump also attempted to ban TikTok, which was blocked by a federal judge.
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author makes an appeal to authority by stating that 'lawmakers, informed by Biden administration intelligence briefings, have raised concerns about the possibility of the Chinese government spying on Americans and spreading propaganda through the app.' This is a fallacy because it assumes that just because intelligence briefings were given to lawmakers, their concerns are valid without providing any evidence or reasoning. Additionally, there are several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article such as 'historic development in government regulation of social media', 'maligned by our foreign adversaries', and 'foreign adversary'. These statements are intended to elicit an emotional response from the reader rather than providing factual information.
    • ][Sen. Maria Cantwell] We are giving people a choice here: To improve this platform and have the opportunity for Americans to make sure that they are not being maligned by our foreign adversaries.[/
  • Bias (95%)
    The author expresses a clear bias towards the idea that TikTok poses a national security risk and that it is necessary for the U.S. government to take action against it. This bias is evident in statements such as 'proponents of the policy say that the app poses a national security risk' and 'Lawmakers, informed by Biden administration intelligence briefings, have raised concerns about the possibility of the Chinese government spying on Americans and spreading propaganda through the app'. The author also expresses approval for Congress passing this legislation with statements like 'The Senate passed the package 79-18' and 'President Joe Biden has said he would sign the legislation'. Additionally, there is a disproportionate number of quotations from individuals who support banning or regulating TikTok, such as Sen. Maria Cantwell and former President Donald Trump.
    • Lawmakers, informed by Biden administration intelligence briefings, have raised concerns about the possibility of the Chinese government spying on Americans and spreading propaganda through the app
      • The Senate passed the package 79-18
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      98%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Congress passes bill that could ban TikTok after years of false starts

      The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Cristiano Lima-Strong Wednesday, 24 April 2024 01:41
      • Unique Points
        • Congress passed legislation to ban or force a sale of TikTok
        • President Biden plans to sign the bill into law on Wednesday
        • TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, has roughly nine months to sell the app or face a national ban
      • Accuracy
        • ]Congress passed legislation to ban or force a sale of TikTok[
        • The Senate approved the measure with a vote of 79 to 18
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (95%)
        The author expresses a clear bias towards the passage of the bill to ban or force a sale of TikTok due to its Chinese ownership and alleged national security risks. The author uses language that depicts TikTok as a threat and emphasizes the historic significance of the legislation. There is also an implied bias against China, as concerns about Chinese government access to Americans' data are repeatedly mentioned.
        • Congress late Tuesday passed legislation to ban or force a sale of TikTok, delivering a historic rebuke of the video-sharing platform’s Chinese ownership after years of failed attempts to tackle the app’s alleged national security risks.
          • Lawmakers pushing for the restriction have cited concerns that the company’s ownership structure could allow the Chinese government to gain access to Americans’ data, claims that TikTok disputes.
            • The measure poses the most significant threat yet to the app’s operations in the United States, where it has more than 170 million users and has become an economic and cultural powerhouse.
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            98%

            The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
            (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

            A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

            ByteDance, TikTok shelled out $7 million on lobbying and ads to combat potential U.S. ban

            CNBC News Brian Schwartz Tuesday, 23 April 2024 17:23
            • Unique Points
              • ByteDance and TikTok spent over $7 million this year on lobbying and ads to prevent a potential US ban.
              • TikTok spent over $4.5 million on a TV and digital ad campaign against legislation that could ban the app.
            • Accuracy
              • The House passed legislation giving ByteDance nine months to divest TikTok or face a ban.
              • Senate passed a bill that would restrict TikTok and give its parent company, ByteDance, up to a year to sell the app or face a national ban.
            • Deception (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Fallacies (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication