TikTok faces US ban as bill heads to Biden’s desk

The Senate passed four bills adding up to $95 billion foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel in a bipartisan vote of 79-18. Tucked inside this sprawling security package that is headed to President Biden’s desk is a provision that could lead to the ban of TikTok in the United States. There is one catch however – the ban will not come into effect until after the 2024 elections.

With an estimated 170 million users across the country, TikTok is often used as a platform by candidates to reach younger voters. An earlier version of the bill could have led to a ban prior to the election. Recent changes mean that the Congress and Biden may not face such an immediate voter backlash.

The bill cites national security concerns as the reason for the ban. Under the  new legislation, TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, would have to to sell its stake in the company within nine months or the app will be blocked in the United States. President Biden has said he will sign it into law as soon as it reaches his desk.

The price to buy and operate the video sharing app would likely be in the tens of billions, meaning there would be few potential buyers. If the US is successful in forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok, any deal made would still need approval from Chinese officials. China has vowed to oppose any such move and it could take several years before the app is blocked in the US, as legal action from ByteDance, likely all the way to the Supreme Court, would delay the process.