The House of Representatives passed a bill this week that would require the sale of TikTok or face a potential ban. In response, TikTok's CEO, Shou Chew, posted a video urging users to speak out against the legislation. The bill will now head to the Senate for further consideration.
Shou Chew encouraged users to share their stories and contact their senators to protect their constitutional rights. He criticized opponents of TikTok for spreading misinformation and emphasized the company's efforts to improve data security and prevent outside manipulation.
The bill, if passed in the Senate and signed by President Joe Biden, would give companies owned by foreign adversaries 180 days to divest or sell to a US-based company in order to continue operating. This move has been met with opposition from both TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, as well as the Chinese government.
Despite potential offers from groups, including one led by former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to buy TikTok in the event of a forced sale, Shou Chew expressed doubt that the service would survive under such circumstances. He warned users that the legislation could take away their TikTok.
The CEO's plea comes as users have flooded social media with their favorite TikTok clips in response to the threat of a ban. It remains uncertain how the Senate will respond to the bill, but the debate surrounding TikTok's future highlights the ongoing tensions between national security concerns and the rights of users and businesses.