Legislation aiming to ban TikTok in the U.S. or force its sale was rapidly progressing through the House, signaling the potential shutdown of the popular app.
Lawmakers cited concerns over data sharing with the Chinese government and potential propaganda dissemination.
See Also: Is TikTok Finally Getting Banned? Key House Committee Vote Moves Potential Ban Closer To Reality
A recent bill, which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously, caught TikTok off-guard, leading to increased buyer interest, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Rep. Mike Gallagher co-authored the bill, which mandated ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, divest or face a U.S. ban. Gallagher aimed for swift Senate action, supported by President Joe Biden‘s pledge to sign it.
“If they pass it, I’ll sign it,” Biden said when asked by reporters about the legislation.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who previously advocated for banning TikTok, reversed his stance, targeting Meta Platforms Inc.’s (NASDAQ: META) Facebook instead.
Trump expressed this shift …