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Responding to the US ban, TikTok invokes the right to free speech
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April 22 :
A bill that would outlaw the social media app in the United States was approved by the House of Representatives, prompting TikTok to reaffirm its stance on free speech.

After one year, the app might be banned if ByteDance, the app's Chinese owner, doesn't sell its shares in TikTok. "It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans," the company stated in a statement.

The bill was passed by the House on April 20 by a vote of 360 to 58. Now it's going to the Senate, where a vote might happen soon on the bill. A bill pertaining to TikTok has been proposed, and President Joe Biden has stated his desire to sign it.

The Biden administration is among several American politicians who have voiced concerns that TikTok poses threats to national security. These lawmakers hail from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Worries centre on the prospect that China may demand that the corporation divulge information pertaining to its 170 million American users.

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (XIA) of India issued a statement on X expressing his steadfast support for the bill. The bill divests TikTok from ByteDance, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," he stated, emphasising the bill's significance. With that said, Krishnamoorthi emphasised that while they would like TikTok to stay online, they do not want it to be run by the CCP.

Concerned that it would "censor millions of Americans," TikTok voiced its opposition to the initial bill in February, which eventually stalled in the Senate. Like other states, the business claimed that Montana's ban on TikTok, which was approved last year, violated the First Amendment.

The House of Representatives gave ByteDance until March 13 to sell out its U.S. holdings in TikTok or face a ban. This deadline was prolonged from six to nine months by the law that was passed on April 20. The president has the authority to provide an additional three months of extension based on his assessment of the sale's progress.