The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to force a split of ownership for TikTok from its Chinese parent company, Bytedance, or face a full ban in the United States. The House bipartisanly voted 352-65-1 in favor of the measure.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-VA07, a 2025 gubernatorial candidate, voted in support. She explained why in a statement Wednesday.
“I just voted to force the sale of TikTok by its China-owned parent company,” Spanberger said Wednesday. “As a Member of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee and former intelligence officer, I know the national security threats posed by ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok and the risks to American users. The U.S. intelligence community has consistently warned that TikTok is a tool within control of the Chinese government — & the Chinese Communist Party is capable of using the app to undermine democratic elections, weaponize propaganda, & stifle free speech across the globe.”
Spanberger says that TikTok is required to provide user data to the Chinese Communist Party.
“TikTok’s ability to be exploited by the CCP’s influence and espionage campaigns is a serious threat,” she said.
The company’s United States-incorporated executives say they have never shared user data with China, and evidence has never been produced to prove them wrong.
Lawmakers are still not convinced, however.
Spanberger also noted that the bill is not an outright ban — although it could potentially reach that point if the owners do not divest.
“If TikTok is going to be on the phones of Americans, then Congress must work to remove the influence of the Chinese Communist Party from the app — as this bill does through a forced divestiture,” she said. “As lawmakers, we have a responsibility to protect the data of the American people and keep our country safe online.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Marker Warner came out in support of the legislation.
President Joe Biden has endorsed the legislation.
His Republican opponent for president, Donald Trump, has indicated he does not support it.
