TikTok fans may have something to dance about.
TikTok fans may have something to dance about.
Bipartisan legislation that cleared the House on Wednesday, which would force the wildly popular short-form video app to divest from Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a U.S. ban, is going nowhere fast in the Senate.
Despite passing the House in a resounding 352-65 vote, senators from both parties on Thursday sounded alarms that the measure threatened First Amendment rights.
“I have concerns about TikTok, but I also have concerns about banning stuff,” said Sen. Jon Tester, Montana Democrat. “I don’t necessarily think that’s the right way to go.”
Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, said forcing TikTok to sell its U.S. operation over allegations of spying and manipulation of Americans by the Chinese government is a “lack of due process.”
“There’s a strong constitutional argument for saying you can’t ban things for its content,” he said. “You can’t just take their company from them just because you don’t like them based on an accusation.
