Do You Support a National TikTok Ban?

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Liberty Surveys
March 18, 2024

Do You Support a National TikTok Ban?

Here’s the Scoop

The GOP-led House has taken a stand against the Chinese Communist Party’s attempts to spy on and manipulate Americans, passing a bill that could lead to a ban on the popular social media app, TikTok.

The “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” was approved by a 352-65 vote and now heads to the Democrat-controlled Senate.

This legislation aims to prevent app store availability or web hosting services in the U.S. for ByteDance-controlled applications, including TikTok, unless they sever ties with entities like ByteDance that are subject to the control of a foreign adversary. ByteDance must sell TikTok within 180 days of the bill being enacted or risk facing a clampdown in the United States.

Supporters of the bill argue that it is necessary to stymie attempts by the Chinese Communist Party to collect data on Americans and manipulate young users through content on the app. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated, “I urge the Senate to pass this bill and send it to the President so he can sign the bill into law.”

However, opponents like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) argue that the bill was rushed and could lead to more censorship. Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, expressed concerns about the bill’s impact on freedom of expression.

Despite these objections, the legislation passed through committee by a 50-0 vote last week, and President Joe Biden has said he would sign the bill into law if it advances through both chambers of Congress. Meanwhile, TikTok warns that the bill would “trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs.”

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