(New York) Many influential American senators have indicated that the bill adopted Wednesday by the House of Representatives and which threatens TikTok with a ban would not be examined urgently, which leaves doubt about its chances of success.
If adopted and promulgated by US President Joe Biden, the text would force the parent company of the short video sharing platform, the Chinese company ByteDance, to sell TikTok, under penalty of suspension of its activities in the States. -United.
The elected officials behind the proposal are concerned about the possible access of Chinese authorities to the data of American users of TikTok as well as its ability to carry out propaganda on the platform.
Chuck Schumer, leader of the Democrats, who have a narrow majority with the recurring support of independent senators, has so far refused to indicate when the proposal would be examined.
Concretely, two of the three possible routes to submit the proposal to senators are still open, namely an introduction by Chuck Schumer or via one of the senatorial committees, the latter method often being the most time-consuming.
Several senators from both sides have already publicly expressed their support for this text, and some are growing impatient.
“Why is Chuck Schumer quicker to call for elections in Israel than in communist China? », wrote, on
But besides Chuck Schumer, other elected officials in the upper house procrastinated, pleading for a thorough examination.
“My vote will be determined by our intelligence community,” Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy explained on Fox News.
He intends to ask Chuck Schumer “to ask the 17 American intelligence agencies to be interviewed behind closed doors and [leur] say whether these accusations are founded.
“I am concerned that an application would give the Chinese government access to the personal data of Americans,” Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Whyden said on X.
“But history teaches us that when lawmakers rush to legislate on technology and social media, they make mistakes,” he added.
“I am in contact with the Department of Justice to ensure that this text can triumph over possible legal challenges,” Virginia Republican Senator Mark Warner said on Fox News.
“What will happen is that the Senate will gradually unravel it, to the point of killing it,” Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley predicted to the news site Axios. “Nothing moves in the Senate if the technology industry opposes it,” he lamented.
The subject is sensitive, eight months before presidential and legislative elections, a ban on TikTok could alienate part of the young electorate.