Senate Hits Brakes On Possible TikTok Ban

WASHINGTON ― The Senate is set to put a bipartisan proposal aiming to ban or force a sale of the popular social media app TikTok on ice, even as the legislation is set to sail through the U.S. House later this week.

It’s not clear if the upper chamber would even take up the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Tuesday he would consult with the heads of committees before deciding to put it on the floor, essentially punting on the issue.

The House legislation would ban the app in the United States if its Chinese owners, ByteDance, don’t sell it. Critics of the app have argued that it presents a threat to national security because of its ties to Beijing and how it can be used to spread propaganda. They’ve also expressed concerns with the app’s data privacy given its popularity with millions of American users, many of whom are minors.

“If you don’t think the Chinese Communist Party can twist [TikTok’s] algorithm to make it the news that they see reflective of their views, then I don’t think you appreciate the nature of the threat,” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, warned in a CBS News interview on Sunday.

Many senators share concerns about TikTok and its influence on Americans, but members on both sides of the aisle expressed unease about the House legislation on Tuesday. They cited how the bill takes specific aim at one company instead of the industry at large, which could open it up to potential legal challenges. They also worried about its effects on free speech in the U.S. and whether there might be unforeseen consequences to U.S. businesses.

“What are the unintended consequences of this targeted approach to future companies?” asked Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).