The bill, which is aimed at safeguarding US user data, would mandate the sale of TikTok’s US operations within six months or face a potential prohibition in the country. 

House members rallied behind the legislation, citing concerns over national security and the possibility of the Chinese government to access user data. 

“Communist China is America’s largest geopolitical foe and is using technology to actively undermine America’s economy and security,” said Mike Johnson, speaker of the US House of Representatives in a post on X. 

“Apps like TikTok allow the Chinese Communist Party to push harmful content to our youth and engage in malign activities, such as harvesting the location, purchasing habits, contacts, and sensitive data of Americans.”

Before the vote, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the US was “suppressing TikTok” despite having “never found evidence that TikTok threatens US national security.”

“This kind of bullying behaviour that cannot win in fair competition disrupts companies’ normal business activity, damages the confidence of international investors in the investment environment, and damages the normal international economic and trade order,” Wang said. 

“In the end, this will inevitably come back to bite the United States itself.”

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The bill will now go to the US Senate for final approval, where President Joe Biden has already expressed his readiness to endorse the measure, signalling a unified front against potential security threats posed by foreign entities.

Meanwhile, outside the Capitol, reports suggest that social media creators are planning a demonstration outside the White House, highlighting the significance of digital platforms in contemporary activism.