Former US President Donald Trump criticizes the congressional push to mandate TikTok’s divestiture, highlighting potential benefits for Facebook and marking a shift from his previous administration’s stance.
In a notable turn of events, former US President Donald Trump criticized the congressional move to mandate TikTok’s divestiture by its Chinese owner, ByteDance, expressing concerns that the ban could advantage Meta’s Facebook. This stance marks a departure from his administration’s earlier efforts in 2020 to impose restrictions on TikTok, despite the bill enjoying considerable support among Republicans. Trump aired his views on Truth Social, pointing out the potential business boon for Facebook if TikTok were removed from the competition.
The controversy follows a unanimous decision by the congressional committee to advance a bill that could force ByteDance to sell TikTok, amidst bipartisan concerns that the app’s Chinese ownership poses a risk to US national security, potentially allowing Beijing access to American data and influencing voters. The White House has shown support for the bill, which is under consideration amid heightened scrutiny over TikTok’s links to China. Over 170 million US users of TikTok have been mobilized to protest against the potential ban, fearing the loss of a platform that supports free expression and economic opportunities for businesses and creators.
The proposed legislation has led to a significant public outcry, with TikTok users flooding Congress with calls to express their opposition, following the app’s alert about the threat to their community. Despite accusations from some lawmakers of TikTok engaging in a “massive propaganda campaign,” the platform defends its move as protecting Americans’ rights to free speech and expression.
The critical debate over TikTok’s future in the US centers on issues of data security, user privacy, and the influence of foreign-owned social media platforms. With the bill steering towards a vote in the full House, the outcome will significantly impact the regulatory landscape for social media apps in the US, reflecting broader tensions between ensuring national security and preserving open digital spaces for expression and innovation.
