Senate Passes Bill That Could Ban TikTok In The U.S., Sends To Biden

WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a $95.3 billion package of foreign aid bills on Tuesday — and tucked inside was a provision that could lead to a TikTok ban in the U.S.

Senators voted 79 to 18 for legislation that includes a provision forcing TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest of the popular social media platform within a year or get blocked. It specifically gives ByteDance nine months to sell its stake in the company, and gives the U.S. president the option of extending that timeline by three more months.

The House overwhelmingly passed this legislative package last week. President Joe Biden is expected to sign it quickly as it includes badly needed aid to Ukraine and humanitarian assistance to Gaza. His signature on it will start the clock on the potential TikTok ban, too.

TikTok is immensely popular with young people, but lawmakers in both parties have raised national security and data privacy concerns with it.

“Congress is not acting to punish ByteDance, TikTok or any other individual company,” Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, said on the Senate floor. “Congress is acting to prevent foreign adversaries from conducting espionage, surveillance, maligned operations, harming vulnerable Americans, our servicemen and women, and our U.S. government personnel.”

Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), too, said he is “very pleased” that the potential TikTok ban is part of the foreign aid package.

“The news that emerged last week that the Chinese Embassy has actually lobbied congressional staff against legislation forcing the sale of TikTok was a stunning confirmation of the value the Chinese government places on the ability to access