The new legislation poses a significant threat to the popular app TikTok if ByteDance doesn't divest ownership.
In a statement, Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who chairs the House of Representatives' select China committee, warned TikTok to sever its ties with the Chinese Communist Party or face losing access to American users.
He added that it is inappropriate for America's top adversary to control a dominant media platform in the United States.
Meanwhile, the top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, said the bill aims to address national security concerns associated with Chinese ownership of TikTok and safeguard American social media users from the digital surveillance and influence operations that could be carried out by regimes that may weaponize their data against them.
But that's not the only source of dissent. TikTok skaters will lose their livelihood once the platform has been banned.
Skateboarding influencers have formed lucrative partnerships with brands and small business owners, with the sizable audiences they've built on TikTok to promote their work.
@johnnyringer How to go up a curb on a skateboard easily #skateboarding #skate #howto #fyp
TikTok has become the preferred app for Gen Z skateboarders, attracting more and more consumer attention from people who used to spend their time on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter.
As of the 2021 report, TikTok has surpassed a billion monthly users.
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, 67% of teenagers in the United States use TikTok, and 16% of them said they use it almost constantly.
@blhndyeni panting my new skate deck!🎱💗 #painting #skateboard #customized #skateboarddeck #8ballpool #foryou #fypシ
According to Insider Intelligence, TikTok now controls 2.3% of the worldwide digital ad market, putting it behind only Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and Alibaba. Advertisers are following eyeballs.
The Bytedance app is the lifeline of skate influencers and other creators to earn their livelihood. Without it, they stand the risk of losing their hard-earned revenue.