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NEWSLINE PAPER,- On Wednesday, TikTok CEO Shou Chew sent a strong warning to Americans, saying that attempts by legislators to outlaw the social media site would essentially increase the power of other social media behemoths and have a negative financial effect on producers. Shortly after a bill that may effectively outlaw TikTok in the nation was passed by the US House of Representatives, this reaction was issued.
Said to be the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the measure still needs to pass the Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden. Still, Biden has previously indicated that he would be open to signing the bill should it come to his desk. Republicans and Democrats supported the measure, which was enacted by the House with a considerable majority of 352-65.
Chew warned users of the possible danger to more than 300,000 American employment and pleaded with them to protect their fundamental rights. He said TikTok would keep up the fight for the rights of its users and would pursue all legal options should the measure pass.
Declaring dissatisfaction with the House's decision, Chew sought to clear up misunderstandings. He underlined TikTok's dedication to protecting user data and keeping a platform unaltered by outside interference.
The main goal of the law is to force TikTok out of U.S. app stores unless ByteDance, Ltd., its parent firm, sells its stock to a U.S. company in less than six month. It also forbids offering, maintaining, or distributing internet hosting services for software under the control of foreign enemies. The legislation was pushed by lawmakers who, considering ByteDance's Chinese ownership, raised worries about privacy and threats to national security.
Concerns were exacerbated in May 2023 by a former ByteDance executive who claimed that Chinese engineers had used backdoor methods to access customer data in the United States and called the company a "useful propaganda tool for the Chinese Communist Party".
At almost 170 million users, TikTok is still careful to protect user privacy and maintain the integrity of its site. Chew stressed the need of defending constitutional rights in the face of possible regulatory obstacles and asked users to share their experiences and give lawmakers their worries.
Chew thanked and praised the TikTok community in his farewell words, pleading for them to keep standing up for their rights and participating fully on the network.