Summarised by Centrist
The U.S. House of Representatives has decisively passed the TikTok divestment bill, moving to strip Chinese-owned ByteDance of its control over the popular social media platform.
Amidst a vote of 352-65-1, the bill now seeks Senate approval, buoyed by bipartisan backing and endorsements from Senate Intel leaders Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL). This legislative push aligns with President Biden’s readiness to sign it into law, aiming to mitigate foreign influence through social media.
The bill’s passage has not been without its detractors. Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) and entrepreneur Elon Musk have voiced significant concerns over the potential free speech implications, branding the legislation a ‘Trojan horse’ for broader governmental control over information access.
