PITTSBURGH, PA (PTTP) – The House of Representatives has voted 352-65 in favor of a bill forcing China-based company Bytedance to either sell TikTok or face a nationwide ban in the US. There has been confusion for months about just how closely associated TikTok is with the Chinese government; this is likely because of the confusing nature of the platform’s ownership. To clear things up:
- The app itself is owned by TikTok LLC, based in Culver City, CA, USA
- TikTok LLC is owned by TikTok Ltd., registered in the UK-owned Cayman Islands, but based in Shanghai
- Finally, TikTok Ltd. is owned by Bytedance Ltd., also registered in the Cayman Islands but based on Beijing
The company’s complex – yet ultimately Chinese – ownership suggests Bytedance would be forced to comply with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) should they request user data. However, per Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, the CCP has not and would not ask to “collect or provide data, information or intelligence.”
While the bill has passed in the House, it must still make it through the Senate before anything happens. As of 2024, there are currently over 2 million users on the social media platform – ranking it the 6th largest globally. In other words, this is a massive ultimatum from US lawmakers, and users are anxiously awaiting the results.
Credit: TikTok and Washington.org