Tensions between Congress and TikTok have reached a boiling point ahead of a high-stakes House vote — scheduled for Wednesday — that could lead to a U.S. ban of the massively popular video app.
Why it matters: Intense lobbying is underway on both sides of the bipartisan bill, which would force Beijing-based Bytedance to divest its ownership of TikTok within 165 days. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to visit Capitol Hill this week as part of the company's full-court press.
- If passed and signed by President Biden, the bill would have major implications for the U.S. election, national security, the social media ecosystem, small businesses, America's youth and more.
- Divisions within the Republican Party over banning TikTok have erupted at the eleventh hour, following former President Trump's head-scratching reversal on a policy he championed in office.