Washington — Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, expressed on Sunday that the forced sale of TikTok could indeed take place before the upcoming November election. This possibility arises as a bill requiring the sale of the app or potentially banning it altogether progresses through Congress.
"The risk continues to escalate the closer we get to the election," Gallagher stated on "Face the Nation" regarding the concerns surrounding the immensely popular video-sharing platform.
TikTok has faced scrutiny from U.S. officials for some time due to concerns that the Chinese government could access its data and exploit it for purposes such as manipulation or espionage against Americans. The recent surge in opposition towards the app was highlighted last week when the House passed a bill that would require the company to sell the app within six months or face removal from U.S. app stores.
Gallagher, the driving force behind the bill, emphasized that "it would be in the financial interest of ByteDance's investors to effectuate before sale." He mentioned that the user experience of the app could see enhancements with reduced concerns of propaganda if the company shifts away from Chinese ownership, potentially boosting TikTok's value.
Concerning the risks posed by TikTok to Americans, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, stated, "this is a different type of threat than we've seen before." He highlighted that TikTok stands out from other social media platforms as it is essentially under the control of a foreign adversary. The House lawmakers displayed substantial bipartisan support for the legislation last week. However, the stance of the Senate on this matter is yet to be determined.
Krishnamoorthi mentioned positive discussions with senators who displayed keen interest in the bill and were surprised by the overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. The timeline for Senate leadership to take action on the bill remains uncertain.
During an appearance on "Face the Nation," business and tech journalist Kara Swisher speculated on potential buyers for TikTok, such as Microsoft, Meta, Apple, or a group of companies. However, she raised concerns about the ownership of the app's algorithm, suggesting it may continue to be controlled by China.
"You purchase it specifically because the algorithm is not involved with this company; the Chinese government would never allow that," Swisher stated. "You are acquiring 170 million American users and a strong brand. However, the algorithm is lacking."
