In a significant development that marks the continuation of tensions between the United States and technologies linked to China, the White House expressed optimism that the US Senate will approve a ban on the social network TikTok. This statement comes after the House of Representatives voted in favor of the legislation with an overwhelming majority on Wednesday.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the spokesperson for Joe Biden’s Government, during a briefing aboard Air Force One, expressed her satisfaction with the progress of the bill. «We are glad to see this bill moving forward. We hope that the Senate will take action quickly,” Jean-Pierre stated, emphasizing the government’s perception that certain technologies operating in the US present a “risk” to “citizens’ personal information and national security.”
The bill, which passed the House of Representatives with 352 votes in favor and 65 against, requires TikTok to separate itself from its Chinese parent company or face a ban on US soil. This measure aligns with national security concerns that have been a constant in the relationship between Washington and Chinese technology.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, issued a statement urging the Senate to act in a way that allows President Biden to sign the bill and turn it into law. However, the Senate’s response remains uncertain, as Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not confirmed whether he will facilitate a full Senate vote on the matter.
TikTok’s reaction was immediate, criticizing the legislative process for its lack of transparency and calling it an attempted “ban.” The platform expressed its hope that the Senate “will consider the facts, listen to its constituents and realize the economic impact” that could result from the passage of this law.
This episode is not Washington’s first attempt to restrict TikTok’s operations in the US, recalling actions taken by former President Donald Trump for similar reasons. Despite Trump’s proposed ban, court intervention and President Biden’s subsequent reversal of the measure kept TikTok accessible to American users.
The current proposal to ban TikTok underscores continued concerns about the security of personal information and the integrity of national security in the digital age. With the Senate debate pending, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain, marking another chapter in the complex relationship between global technology and national security policy.
However, the former president of the United States, and current only candidate for the November presidential contest for the Republican Party, Donald Trump, expressed his disagreement with the proposal to ban the social network TikTok in the country, adopting a position opposite to that of the president. current, Joe Biden, who appears to be in favor of supporting a measure that restricts said platform.
“What really worries me is that, by banning TikTok, they would be giving an advantage to Facebook, which in my opinion is an adversary of the public, just like other media,” said Trump, the only contender for the Republican Party nomination. for the next presidential elections on November 5, in an interview with CNBC.
This is a radical change of position for the former president (2017-2021), who issued a decree in August 2020 to prohibit the use of TikTok in the United States, alleging that this platform, popular among young people for sharing short videos, was a threat to national security.