A US senator has proposed extending the deadline for the sale of TikTok’s American assets to 1 year. The proposal comes amid concerns about US national security and the data of 170 million American users. The decision aims to provide a stronger legal basis for a possible ban on the app.
Extending the Deadline
Maria Cantwell, chairwoman of the US Senate Commerce Committee, announced the possibility of extending the deadline for the sale of US assets to the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns TikTok. The proposal, backed by a 352-65 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 13, initially called for a six-month deadline to sell the app’s U.S. assets or have it banned.
On Wednesday, Cantwell said the Senate could still pass the House bill, but extending the time limit to one year would allow greater scrutiny to ensure the bill’s legal framework is sound and the data of Americans using the app is secure.
Concerns and Support
She noted that attempts by the administration of former President Donald Trump and the state of Montana failed to ban TikTok. The longer deadline would also delay any potential TikTok ban until after 2025 and beyond the November US presidential election.
This week, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell supported the idea of forcing the sale of TikTok assets, calling it America’s greatest strategic rival that threatens its security right on American soil, in the homes of tens of millions of Americans. Lawmakers have since been inundated with calls from citizens opposing the law.
TikTok’s Response
“Banning TikTok would violate the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans,” TikTok said Friday. The company also announced its efforts to protect the data of American users, on which it has spent more than $1.5 billion, adds NIXsolutions.
While many lawmakers and President Joe Biden’s administration have raised concerns about TikTok as a potential tool for collecting data for Chinese authorities, the company continues to defend its position by highlighting its efforts to protect user privacy.
We’ll keep you updated on the ongoing debate surrounding TikTok’s future.