US House of Representatives passes legislation that could lead to total Tiktok ban

The US House of Representatives voted 360 to 58 in favour of the revised divest-or-ban legislation on Tiktok on April 20.

If passed by the US Senate and then signed by President Joe Biden, this bill marks a potential historical milestone as the first instance of the US government enacting a law to shut down an entire social media platform.

The Senate is scheduled to cast its vote on the bill in the upcoming week, and Biden has previously said that if passed he will sign the legislation into law, media outlets said.

The bill’s author and Texas Republican representative Michael McCaul told reporters the move will shield Americans, particularly children, from the “malign influence of Chinese propaganda”, the Guardian reported.

According to media reports, critics have raised concerns over TikTok’s potential to collect user data and censor content critical of the Chinese government. However, TikTok has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting its independence and commitment to user privacy.