Senate Slows Progress on TikTok Bill After House Approval
After a bill that would force TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell the app or face a nationwide ban passed through the House with overwhelming support, its progress in the Senate has hit a roadblock.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate, has not yet decided whether to bring the bill to the floor for a vote, according to his spokesman. The Senate, which has its own versions of bills targeting TikTok, will need to be convinced to support the House bill. Other legislation and the process of potentially rewriting the bill to suit the Senate could also slow down the progress.
Despite the House passing the bill with a vote of 352 to 65, many senators are keeping their opinions on the TikTok measure close to their vest. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut noted that there is bipartisan support to remove the app from Chinese ownership, but adjustments may need to be made to the bill.
The uncertainty in the Senate means that TikTok is likely to face weeks or even months of uncertainty about its fate in the United States. This could lead to continued lobbying efforts, as well as maneuvering by the White House, the Chinese government, and ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company. Talks about potential deals may also arise, while the app’s 170 million U.S. users face the looming possibility of losing access to the platform.
TikTok has been actively responding to the bill, with its CEO urging users to call their senators and fight back against a potential ban. The company has also invested over $1 billion in a plan to handle sensitive U.S. user data separately and provide oversight of the platform to monitor for manipulation.
The White House is also involved in lobbying efforts, inviting talent agencies that represent TikTok creators to a briefing on social media platform ownership. The Senate, with its smaller number of members, may prove to be a tougher challenge for the bill to pass, as individual senators may seek to put their own stamp on the legislation.
While some senators have expressed support for the bill, others are more cautious and are calling for a thorough review of its elements. Senator Maria Cantwell, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will likely play a key role in determining the fate of the House legislation in the Senate.
As the debate over TikTok’s future continues in the Senate, the app’s fate in the U.S. remains uncertain, with potential implications for its millions of users and the broader tech industry.
