President Biden signed a bill that would ban TikTok if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, fails to sell it within a year. The bill, which includes aid for Ukraine and Israel, passed the U.S. Senate in a 79-18 vote Tuesday night, after The House approved it by an overwhelming majority. weekend.
The bill gives ByteDance nine months to divest TikTok, with a 90-day extension available, to complete a deal. If ByteDance does not sell TikTok, it would be illegal for app stores to distribute the app in the US.
In a statement emailed to TechCrunch, TikTok said it would challenge the “unconstitutional law” in court.
“We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side and we will ultimately prevail,” the statement read. “The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep American data secure and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate 7 million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue to invest and innovate to ensure that TikTok remains a space where Americans from all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy and be inspired.”
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew shared his video response on Wednesday, calling the news “a disappointing moment” and stating that TikTok “will continue to fight.”
In March, the House approved a similar standalone bill to ban TikTok or force its sale within six months, but the Senate never accepted that bill. This time, the House included the TikTok bill with foreign aid to America’s allies, essentially forcing the Senate to make a decision.
TikTok has spent the past few months arguing that its platform is essential for creators and small businesses in the United States. A few weeks ago, the company published an economic impact report revealing that TikTok generated $14.7 billion for small and medium-sized businesses in the US