The battle between Washington lawmakers and TikTok reached a new level this week as legislators introduced a bill calling for the popular app to sever ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban in the United States. The move sparked a wave of activism from TikTok users, who were greeted with a message on the app urging them to oppose the legislation and call their representatives.
The message, which read “Stop a TikTok shutdown,” prompted a flood of phone calls to Capitol Hill offices, overwhelming the phone lines of members of Congress. Some callers, including teenagers, quickly hung up after connecting, while others took to social media to express their frustration.
Lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee swiftly approved the legislation in a unanimous vote, signaling bipartisan support for forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok. Representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi, co-sponsors of the bill, criticized TikTok for what they deemed as misleading tactics to sway public opinion.
Despite TikTok’s previous assurances that its U.S. operations and user data are secure, concerns about national security risks have persisted. Senator Mark Warner, who has introduced his own legislation targeting the app, expressed reservations about the bill’s direct targeting of TikTok and ByteDance, but acknowledged the need for further scrutiny.
As the legislation makes its way through the legislative process, the digital strategist Mike Nellis warned that TikTok’s efforts to mobilize users could backfire by highlighting the influence of a foreign-owned tech company in the U.S. Nevertheless, the House Energy and Commerce Committee provided guidance to lawmakers on how to address the influx of calls, emphasizing the need for TikTok to sever its ties with China to ensure user privacy and security.
The future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain as lawmakers and tech experts grapple with the implications of its Chinese ownership. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
