The US Senate has passed a contentious bill that may lead to TikTok’s prohibition in the United States.
The legislation demands that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, divest its ownership within nine months, or face a ban on the app’s operations in the country.
The bill now heads to President Joe Biden, who has expressed his intent to sign it into law once it reaches his desk.
This could compel ByteDance to obtain approval from Chinese authorities for the sale, a process Beijing has publicly opposed.
Experts predict this could result in a prolonged legal confrontation that may extend over several years.
The bill was part of a broader legislative package, which also addressed military aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other US allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
It enjoyed considerable bipartisan support, with 79 senators voting in favor and 18 opposing.
Senator Marco Rubio, the lead Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, voiced his approval, stating, “For years we’ve allowed the Chinese Communist party to control one of the most popular apps in America that was dangerously short-sighted.”
He added, “A new law is going to require its Chinese owner to sell the app. This is a good move for America.”
TikTok, however, has expressed strong opposition to the bill.
The company contends that such a move would infringe upon the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, harm seven million businesses, and dismantle a platform that contributes significantly to the US economy.
TikTok’s chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, announced that the company intends to protect its platform by all possible legal means.
The University of Richmond’s law professor Carl Tobias predicts that a lengthy legal struggle is likely and that the entire process could take up to two years.
He also pointed out that if ByteDance fails to find a buyer within the nine-month deadline, the US government’s action against TikTok could be further delayed.