What TikTok users, content creators need to know as Congress inches closer to banning app in US

A closely watched House vote on Wednesday passed legislation that poses the biggest threat yet to TikTok’s presence on some 170 million American phones.

The bill in question, which would ban TikTok in the United States if the app’s US operations aren’t sold within six months, sailed out of the House Energy & Commerce Committee last week in a 50-0 bipartisan vote.

The bill then moved to the full House, which voted 352-65 Wednesday to pass the legislation. Now the bill will move to the Senate, where its fate remains up in the air.

Many lawmakers have warned that TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, poses a threat to national security, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who said in a statement following the House vote: “Today’s bipartisan vote demonstrates Congress’ opposition to Communist China’s attempts to spy on and manipulate Americans, and signals our resolve to deter our enemies.”

Still, 50 Democrats and 15 Republicans voted against the bill, which would bar companies like Apple or Google from offering TikTok on their app stores or providing the social platform with web hosting services in the US unless ByteDance divests itself within 180 days.

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), who surprisingly said no to the legislation, cited free speech issues, according to CNBC.