I’m addicted to TikTok. What do I do now that the House has effectively voted to ban it?
CNN
If you’re a TikTok fanatic worried about how you’re going to stay connected to the world after a bill that could ban the app passed the House of Representatives Wednesday … don’t panic just yet.
If you’re a TikTok fanatic worried about how you’re going to stay connected to the world after a bill that could ban the app passed the House of Representatives Wednesday … don’t panic just yet. For those just catching up: US lawmakers have renewed efforts to crack down on TikTok over national security concerns related to its Chinese parent company ByteDance. The bill would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform is quickly spun off from ByteDance. The bill, called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week. And on Wednesday, it was passed in the House with 352 affirmative votes and just 65 representatives dissenting. Many of the roughly 170 million Americans who use the app have raised concerns that banning TikTok could mean doing away with a platform that represents much more than a platform where young people can follow the latest updates about the Princess of Wales. It’s where they go to find connection, get entertained, seek information and earn a living. Some of those TikTokkers phoned their representatives in recent days to urge them to vote “no” on the bill, after the app alerted users to the potential ban. There are other platforms available for TikTok users — nearly every major social media company has spent the past several years trying to mimic the app’s popular formula of snappy, shortform videos combined with a powerful recommendation algorithm that keeps users scrolling. However, shifting a loyal audience from one platform to another is easier said than done. But TikTok will not be disappearing from Americans’ phones anytime soon.
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