What's happened
The US Senate has passed legislation to force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the platform, under the threat of a ban. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, which is part of a larger $95 billion aid package for Ukraine and Israel.
Why it matters
The passage of the bill reflects bipartisan concerns over Chinese threats and ownership of TikTok, impacting 170 million American users. The legislation aims to address national security risks and protect user data, potentially disrupting the lives of content creators who rely on the platform for income.
What the papers say
The New York Times highlights the bipartisan support for the bill and the convoluted journey it took through Congress. Al Jazeera emphasizes concerns over national security and the potential for Chinese influence through TikTok. The Guardian focuses on the bill's aim to protect Americans from Chinese propaganda and potential data collection.
How we got here
The bill to force TikTok's sale comes after long-standing bipartisan fears in Washington over Chinese threats and ownership of the platform. Lawmakers have raised concerns about potential data sharing with the Chinese government and the influence of Beijing on American users.
More on these topics
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TikTok/Douyin is a Chinese video-sharing social networking service owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based Internet technology company founded in 2012 by Zhang Yiming.
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The United States of America, commonly known as the United States or America, is a country mostly located in central North America, between Canada and Mexico.
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Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and represented Delaware in the United States Senate
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The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, which, along with the United States House of Representatives—the lower chamber—constitutes the legislature of the United States.
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The United States House of Representatives is the lower house of the United States Congress; the Senate is the upper house. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
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ByteDance Ltd. is a Chinese multinational internet technology company headquartered in Beijing. It was founded by Zhang Yiming in 2012. ByteDance is reportedly worth over US$100 billion as of May 2020.
ByteDance's core product, Toutiao, is a content platf