- According to the WSJ, TikTok executives believed the U.S. had largely ended its ban on the app after Biden joined.
- The House of Representatives then introduced a bill that could lead to a ban on social media apps by the United States.
- TikTok and free speech groups say the ban violates First Amendment rights.
Before the House introduced legislation to ban TikTok, social media company executives believed calls to ban the app had died down, in part because of President Joe Biden.
The Biden campaign's decision to join the app in late February and post dozens of videos was based on a visit to TikTok's Singapore office two weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal reported. , which helped reassure the executives who delivered the good news.
“TikTok's extensive lobbying and government relations operations in Washington were such that the committee and Biden administration officials failed to realize how close the bill was to reality,” the newspaper said in its report. It was run very quietly.”
According to the magazine, the House bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher (Wisconsin) and Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthy (Illinois), was released a few days after the Singapore meeting, stating that TikTok and its parent company employees, as well as government aides, policy advisers, and members of Congress.”
The bill, which would force Chinese company ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese owner or face a U.S. ban, has been in the works for a year and has been in the works by Biden administration officials. The Journal reported that it was formed by
Biden has indicated publicly that he intends to sign the ban if it hits his desk.
TikTok, the American Civil Liberties Union and other free speech groups argue that the ban violates First Amendment free speech rights.
Caitlin Chin Rothman, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The Atlantic that if the company were to sue, the U.S. government would “ban TikTok to advance the government's vital interests.” It is narrowly calibrated and there is no more restrictive means of promoting its interests.”
According to the magazine, members of Congress and Biden officials anticipated the company could sue for First Amendment violations and worked together to craft a provision that would best withstand legal challenges. That's what it means.
“Passing this as a national security threat gives the government a lot of latitude on First Amendment issues,” said political scientist Sara Kreps, director of the High Technology Policy Institute at Cornell University in New York. previously told Business Insider.
The House is scheduled to vote on the bill on Wednesday. A TikTok spokesperson previously told BI that they expect the bill to pass in the House of Representatives.
Biden and TikTok representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment from BI.
