On Politics

Wed Mar 13 2024

Sudiksha Kochi | Congress, Campaigns and Democracy Reporter

@KochiSudiksha

Hey OnPolitics readers! The House approved a bill Wednesday that would force TikTok's parent company to sell the juggernaut social media app or face a practical ban in the U.S.

President Joe Biden has said he would sign it if it makes it to his desk, but the legislation's fate is uncertain in the Senate, where the bill has proved much more divisive, USA TODAY's Riley Beggin and Ken Tran reported. The bill cleared the House with strong bipartisan support.

❓Why are lawmakers targeting TikTok? They argue the app, immensely popular with teens and young people for its customized song and dance features on short clip videos, poses national security risks. TikTok's parent company ByteDance, is based in Beijing and may expose American user data to Chinese government surveillance.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

🧗 Legislation faces uphill climb in Senate: While most senators agree that TikTok's Chinese parent company poses a security threat to the U.S., many have concerns about the legality of singling out one company. Former President Donald Trump attempted to ban TikTok when he was president, but it was blocked by courts for failing "to adequately consider an obvious and reasonable alternative," a federal judge wrote at the time.

🎶 TikTok fights back: TikTok launched an intense lobbying campaign ahead of the House vote, urging its users to call their representatives and ask them to vote against the bill. The company's CEO Shou Chew also visited Capitol Hill on Tuesday to persuade lawmakers – mainly senators – to oppose it.

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Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Poll: Trump edges Biden in fluid electorate as economic views brighten

The percent who think the economy is in recovery has rebounded to 33% in March 2024, according to a Suffolk University/USA Today poll

More Americans see an economic recovery underway than in any USA TODAY survey since Biden took office, although that hasn't yet given him a big boost.

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