A potential TikTok ban is being considered by Congress, and former President Donald Trump has expressed his objection to it, claiming that it would unintentionally assist Facebook.
In a Truth Social post, Trump declared that Facebook and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, will see a sharp rise in revenue as a result of the removal of TikTok, which he denounced as “a true Enemy of the People!”
TikTok Legislative Action
There has been controversy about Trump’s use of social media, especially Facebook. Following the Capitol riot by the former president’s supporters, Zuckerberg banned Trump from Facebook and Instagram in January 2021.
Trump retaliated with a statement, vowing to keep future interactions with Zuckerberg strictly business. While Trump was reinstated on Meta platforms last year, the tensions remain palpable.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee recently advanced legislation seeking to crack down on TikTok, introduced by Reps. Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi. The bill gives TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, 165 days to sell the app or face a ban from major app stores.
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Trump’s Disapproval
Despite the bill’s bipartisan support and President Biden’s willingness to sign it into law, Trump expressed his disapproval, emphasizing his belief that the ban would bolster Facebook’s position. The legislation aims to address national security concerns, following a December 2022 ban on TikTok from federal government devices.
ByteDance denies allegations of sharing user data with the Chinese Communist Party, labeling them as misinformation. The company contends that the legislation is predisposed towards a complete ban of TikTok in the United States, infringing on users’ constitutional right to free expression.
Trump had previously supported banning TikTok, signing an executive order in August 2020, which was later blocked in court. Biden, upon taking office, revoked the ban and directed the Department of Commerce to assess TikTok’s potential national security threat.
The New York Post reported that billionaire hedge fund manager Jeff Yass, a GOP mega donor, has been personally reaching out to Republican lawmakers to impede the legislation. Yass’s fund has a significant stake in ByteDance, with $33 billion invested.
A spokesperson for Yass denied claims of him lobbying GOP lawmakers, highlighting the complexities surrounding the debate over TikTok’s future in the US.
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