Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: A squadron of aircraft was heard flying over several Iraqi cities, likely Iranian drones
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The US President is currently chairing a National Security Council meeting
Islamic endowments in occupied al-Quds: Occupation forces arrested two Al-Aqsa guards and raided the mosque's prayer halls
Iranian state TV: Iranian drones on their way to the occupied territories
IRGC Chief of Staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi: The Iranian nation has proven its resolve, never surrendering in the face of aggression
IRGC spokesperson: This operation will continue and will destabilize the occupation regime
IRGC spokesperson: The 19th wave of Operation True Promise 3 put the Israeli regime's overwhelmed defense system on alert
Al Mayadeen correspondent in Iran: A new wave of Iranian missiles has been launched toward the occupied Palestinian territories.
Yemeni Armed Forces: The battle is the battle of the entire Ummah and for its salvation.
Yemeni Armed Forces: We cannot tolerate any US attack or aggression in support of the Israeli enemy against Iran because it means the confiscation of the freedom, independence, and dignity of our nation.

TikTok ban: US House panel advances bill

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 1 Mar 2023 23:20
4 Min Read

Amid criticism that the proposal threatens free speech, a GOP-led House panel has advanced legislation empowering US President Joe Biden to ban TikTok.

  • x
  • The TikTok logo is seen on a cell phone. (AP)
    The TikTok logo seen on a cell phone (AP)

A panel of US legislators voted Wednesday to approve legislation that would make it easier to ban the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok, despite warnings that the measure would jeopardize freedom of speech.

The Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the Deterring America's Technological Adversaries (DATA) Act on a party-line vote, but it will meet criticism from free speech advocates and Democrats when it comes up for votes in the full House and Senate.

"My bill mandates the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten US national security," said the committee's chairman Michael McCaul.

"And make no mistake -- TikTok is a security threat. It allows (China) to manipulate and monitor its users while it gobbles up Americans' data to be used for their malign activities," he added.

By providing an exception for "sensitive personal data," the measure seeks to challenge a 1980s amendment that barred the government from blocking the free flow of visual entertainment between foreign countries.

It calls for the administration to apply penalties, including bans, on companies found to have knowingly provided TikTok user data to "any foreign individual."

According to a TikTok representative, the firm is "disappointed to see this rushed piece of legislation move forward" in Congress.

"A US ban on TikTok is a ban on the export of American culture and values to the billion-plus people who use our service worldwide," Spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter said in a statement.

The American Civil Liberties Union stated in a letter to the committee on Monday that the proposal would violate the First Amendment rights of millions of Americans.

Related News

US House to vote on bill criminalizing boycott of 'Israel'

US House passes bill to sanction ICC for targeting 'Israel'

The big picture

In December 2022, following "concerns" from the FBI director and cybersecurity experts that China may exploit the social media platform, TikTok, for allegedly spying on US citizens, Senator Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and a bipartisan pair of congressmen in the House proposed a bill that would prohibit TikTok in the United States.

The bill, according to the statement, would "protect Americans by blocking and prohibiting all transactions from any social media company in, or under the influence of, China, Russia, and several other foreign countries of concern."

The bill will also explicitly designate TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, as social media firms for the purposes of the legislation.

The US actions contrast with the protracted discussions that TikTok has had with the US government for years over a potential agreement that may enable the company to handle national security issues and to continue providing services to US consumers.

It's noteworthy that the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned, in November, equipment authorizations for video surveillance equipment or telecoms manufactured by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, calling them "a threat to national security."

According to the order, the restriction builds on efforts by the Commission, Congress, and the Biden administration to take unprecedented action as they continue to pressure China and challenge the One China policy.

Beijing has categorically rejected western accusations of potential cyber-attacks on government devices. 

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the US has overstretched the concept of national security and abused state power to quash foreign businesses. 

The White House provided federal agencies a period of 30 days to remove TikTok on all federal devices. 

In response to the move, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning on Tuesday said, "We firmly oppose those wrong actions."

Read more: TikTok takes further steps to maintain operations in the US: Reuters

  • US House
  • US
  • TikTok ban
  • GOP-led House

Most Read

Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Iran’s Bavar-373 air defense system on display during a military drill (Mehr News Agency)
Politics

Iran intercepts Israeli drones near Tehran, multiple cities

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, June 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran warns aid to 'Israel' will be treated as aggression

US President Donald Trump arrives to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Friday, June 20, 2025, en route to Montclair, New Jersey (AP)
Politics

Trump, Erdogan made covert attempts to hold talks with Iran: Axios

Ansar Allah supporters surround a giant Iranian flag during an anti-US and anti-'Israel' weekly rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, June 20, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US ships in Red Sea will be targeted if US attacks Iran: YAF

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS