The fate of the popular social media app, TikTok, in the United States is uncertain as the House recently voted in favor of banning the app. The bipartisan support for the ban arose from concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership and its potential as a national security threat.

The legislation, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, requires TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell its stake in the app within six months. Failure to do so would lead to TikTok being removed from U.S. app stores and other web-hosting services.

Lawmakers have expressed worries about the possibility of the Chinese government accessing the data of TikTok’s 170 million American users, even though TikTok has denied these allegations. The ban is viewed as a precautionary measure to safeguard national security.

While the bill has yet to pass through the Senate and ultimately be signed by President Joe Biden, it has gained significant momentum. One of the main reasons for the rush to ban TikTok is its status as the dominant news platform for Americans under 30 that the U.S. government does not control like other platforms.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington has dismissed the allegations against TikTok, considering them as part of a smear campaign orchestrated by the U.S. They have requested hard evidence to support the claimed threats to national security.

President Biden has expressed his support for the bill, but the final outcome is uncertain. TikTok has previously managed to survive attempts at banning, leaving influencers and users on the edge of their seats. We will have to wait and see if this bill indeed takes effect. Stay tuned for the latest updates on this viral news story!