U.S. House passes bill to block China from controlling TikTok

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The House approved the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act that would require China tech giant ByteDance to either divest TikTok or face having it banned in the U.S. The vote was 352 to 65. Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska voted in favor of the bill, while her colleague Democrat Rep. Jamilia Jayapal of Washington state voted against it, as did polar opposite Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.

The bill would block companies such as Apple or Google from offering TikTok as a download from their app stores unless ByteDance divests itself from China within 180 days.

“It does not apply to American companies. It only applies to companies subject to the control of foreign adversaries … defined by Congress,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, the Republican who chairs the House select committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said on the House floor. “And it cannot — cannot — be used to censor speech. It takes no position at all on the content of speech, only foreign adversary control — foreign adversary control of what is becoming the dominant news platform for Americans under 30.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson said, “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.”

Yet there was also bipartisan opposition, with 50 Democrats and 15 Republicans voting against the bill

The bill does not have companion legislation in the Senate, and Sen. Rand Paul opposes it, as he says it violates the U.S. Constitution.

People “choose to use TikTok to express themselves,” Sen. Paul said. “I don’t think Congress should be trying to take away the First Amendment rights of [170] million Americans.”

34 COMMENTS

  1. So, the commies in China use TikTok to spy on us. Well, the US government uses Google, Bing, Facebook, X and every other media platform to spy on us. So, what’s the difference?

    • That’s an interesting nom de plume you’ve given yourself. That you don’t know the difference between the CCP and the United States government is also interesting.

      • So it is OK for our government to illegally surveil us?

        > you don’t know the difference between the CCP and the United States government

        Tell me what is that difference at this point?

        • Seriously?

          I can spend days writing the difference between the two, or you can decide if you are a communist and move to China and see how that goes for you. The first question you should ask yourself is if they will allow to to ask what the difference is, you’ve already failed that question though.

          Who said it was OK for our government to illegally surveil us?

        • There is non as they are in this world domination together it’s a bait and switch operation and the people will wake up some morning and wished they didn’t bite the bait.

      • Steve-O there is rapidly becoming little difference between the Chi- Com’s and the Establishment uni-party government controlling the USA.
        Your failure to recognize the above speaks volumes.

        BTW, following the $ helps, find out who in our Government has benefitted from Chi- Com deals, hint, it ain’t just the Biden Crime Family…

    • I think the real problem here is that TikTok doesn’t censor content while American-based social media platforms have traditionally been willing to fully censor just about anything and anybody that might cause a problem for the government or those in control of government (the deep state, the 1%, and big business).

  2. It’s about time, but it seems to me that pretending to get the Chinese government out of Tik Tok is too problematic (kind of like all the deep staters staying behind to harass President Trump). It would be better to shut it down altogether.

  3. While we might look at our government as “the enemy” at times, I think China is worse. It is a little harder to fly under the radar here with the freedoms we have.

  4. Sadly, nothing ever is as it seems, which is handily illustrated by Congress’ naming of bills and the bills actual purpose and effects running contrary to the name.

    That process is slightly shifted here, but the deception is central to it. Eliminating free speech rights is quite clearly a communist revolution control tactic.

    • Alarming Trojan Horse elements buried within TikTok legislation (HR 7521)

      It contains broad language giving unilateral power to the executive branch — potentially allowing sinister interpretations by a politically-motivated president!
      The government is asking Americans to trust that it won’t abuse its power.

      • HR 7521 gives the president sole power to determine if ANY app is controlled by ANY entity HE deems to be a foreign adversary.

      • HR 7521 gives Congress NO AUTHORITY to curtail a rogue president.

      • Last but NOT least, only the Justice Department can investigate abuse claims, and the liberal US Court of Appeals (District of Columbia) has jurisdiction over claims.

  5. The communist government in China is our enemy even if many Americans are oblivious. Xi would never allow a US company to operate in China where free speech was allowed. In fact China does not believe what our founders did- that men are born with certain inalienable rights. Freedom of speech, the right to keep and bear arms, the right to religion, or any of the other liberties recognized by the US Constitution. Xi, the dictator, worships Marx and Lenin. Xi keeps over one million people in concentration camps. Preventing companies controlled by this dictatorship from operating in our country is long, long overdue.

    Of note, lately Peltola is starting to swing from her far left perspective. Perhaps she’s starting to realize Alaskans are not going to re- elected a hard core leftist.

    • M, let’s not get carried away. I can’t image the chaos that American-style, electorate manipulation would cause in China! Look what we’ve done to ourselves under the ruse of informing and bering informed. Oh, my, can you imagine what a Chinese fire drill that would spark for Xi? We have a “cultural revolution” going on in this country: we needn’t point at the Chinese and say, “Look at them!” Look at us. What a mess we’re in: we’re ready to bash the hell out of each other. We’re doing so well with the Christian love that we feel for each other, why get ourselves lathered up with what the Chinese are doing to each other. Big M, has AI gotten under your skin or is it just your neighbors–if it’s your neighbors, take a baseball bat to them and straighten them out! You can always beg for forgiveness later!

      • Edit: “I can’t imagine the chaos that American-style, electorate manipulation would cause in China! Look what we’ve done to ourselves under the ruse of informing and being informed.”

    • M, this bill is merely a tool to control other social media platforms. It has nothing to do with Tik- Tok.

      After all , if Congress was concerned about Chi- Com influence it would have acted long ago the thwart her. It hasn’t.

      Ron DeSanits has led the way with his banning Chi- Com $ donations to Universities in FL. Why is this important? Remember where the most damning classified files were found? At the Penn- Biden center Think Tank, solely funded by the Chi- Coms…

      Wr are so screwed.

  6. I sure wish they would block the Chinese from buying up all the diary plants and farms in the US too. China has been steadily doing that for years.

  7. It’s against the constitution!
    And ticktock is not controlled by the swamp!
    And kids expressing themselves on ticktock by saying bad things against Isreal! Can’t have that🧟‍♂️🧌
    More censorship now?

    • Court, nothing in the legislation bans TiktokSpy. the legislation bars the Chinese government from access by limiting who owns TikTokSpy.

  8. Can they block CCP members from using Facebook, twitter and reddit as well? Non CCP members aren’t allowed to use those platforms. The CCP often brags about having hundreds of FB accounts to spread propaganda.

  9. Can I use Twitter in China? Here’s a Google response:

    “China, Iran, and North Korea are among the countries where Twitter doesn’t work. The Chinese Communist Party censors selected content and has blocked many internet services and social media platforms (including Google, Facebook, and Gmail).Feb 8, 2024”

    So. If China will not allow our companies to do business there, then why should we allow the Chinese government access to spy on Americans?

  10. Amazing how fast this passed.

    Border is still wide open. One trillion to debt every 100 days. Deaths of despair at an all time high. Nothing is done.

    Something tells me the intelligence agencies wanted this done. Who else can have the lackeys in the House band together and act so quickly.

  11. For all the Communists who support tiktok in the US, do you also have the same support for tiktok use in China? It’s banned there. Yep your precious tiktok data mining app isn’t even allowed in the communist country it comes from. They have a similar app that restricts children’s use and sends communist approved messaging.

    No doubt some of the commentators here are CCP operatives posting approved propaganda, they are easy to spot though.

  12. Meanwhile the Chinese are allowed to own farm land, animal production, infrastructure , and many other things inside our country. What a joke..

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