/ 15 March 2024

TikTok on a political ultimatum

TikTok

The US House of Representatives has given ByteDance, the Chinese owners of social media giant TikTok, an ultimatum: sell up or face a national ban. The bill was passed with bipartisan support – with 352 Congress members in favour and 65 against. It gives ByteDance 165 days to sell before it’s banned – but to be real for a sec, there are plenty of hurdles before that… US lawmakers have had long-running user data/security concerns about the Beijing-based app – their main one being the Chinese Government’s potential influence over the company. TikTok’s boss Shou Zi Chew says the company is dedicated to staying “free from outside manipulation” and will look at “exercising legal rights” to continue operating in America. And if you’re wondering what it means for Oz, PM Anthony Albanese says not much, but the Coalition has urged him to follow America’s lead. 

Know someone who'd be interested in this story? Click to share...

The Squiz Today

Your shortcut to being informed, we've got your news needs covered.

Get the Squiz Today newsletter

Quick, agenda-free news that doesn't take itself too seriously. Get on it.