Biden Wants to Ban TikTok. Except For Himself, Of Course
ByteDance is almost being forced by Washington to sell their beloved app for security measures imposed on them by potential bipartisan legislation.
On Wednesday, the House Committee of Energy and Commerce announced that it is set to vote on legislation to force the TikTok parent to divest from social media app within six months or face a complete ban in the US. The House of Representative’s vote would be based claims that TikTok’s is collecting data to share with the Chinese government.
Press Secretary of the White House, Karine Jean-Pierre, told reports that “this bill is important; we welcome this step.”
Back in 2022, President Joe Biden signed a bill that banned the use of the application on governmental phones. Two years later, the security measures that are being implemented against TikTok haven’t stopped President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. to take his campaign elections to the Chinese platform. President Joe Biden is currently aiming to run for his second term. The tactics for this election differ from any of the previous ones. President Biden is aiming not only to appeal to the older generation but to the younger one as well.
TikTok Ban or the Presidential Ban?
Introduced on Tuesday, the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” will give Presidential authority on the decision to ban the Chinese app.
According to Jean-Pierre, the White House doesn’t perceive this bill as a total ban on TikTok but ensured that “ownership isn’t in the hands of those who may do us harm. This is about our national security, obviously.”
As the White House is working on ensuring the safety of American users with lawmakers to support on technical aspects for the bill, TikTok hasn’t responded to any request yet.
It All Began with a Signup
About a month ago, “BidenHQ” made its debut on TikTok his beloved app, targeting the younger electorate, which according to reports, they seem less inclined to support the current President in his upcoming elections.
A calculated move such as this one also holds certain risks as the engagement of the younger generation has become integral to Biden in his competition with former President Donald Trump, following Nicki Hailey’s drop from the presidential race on Wednesday.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Tech sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.