On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted to approve a bill that would lead to a ban on the Chinese social media app TikTok. The app could now soon be banned in the nation if its parent company decides against selling its stake in the app.
The bill passed with overwhelming support, 360 to 58, as part of a $95 billion legislative package that also includes security aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
The development is expected to result in a legal dispute between the U.S. and TikTok, which claims that the law breaches the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that Congress should not make any law regarding any establishment of religion or a law that prohibits free exercise, freedom of speech, etc.
As a next step, the passed bill will now be presented to U.S. President Joe Biden, who has reaffirmed that he would sign it into law.
The bill was sent to the Senate for its approval after it was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
But why are officials trying to ban TikTok?
The U.S. officials and the government believe that TikTok can be used to influence the nation's youth and app users and hence, also the U.S. 20204 election, as the app's core management lies with the Chinese government.
Many lawmakers are also of the belief that TikTok poses a national security risk as there is a possibility that China may compel the app owners to sell the data of 170 million U.S. users to the government.
The U.S. is not the first nation to move to ban TikTik. In 2020, India had also banned TikTok along with several other Chinese apps after clashes in the Galwan Valley with the Chinese military.
In 2023, Nepal also banned the app, citing national security concerns.