TikTokers should beware of a new bill that advanced in the U.S. House of Representatives last week and could result in the social media platform being banned in the nation.

U.S. lawmakers are cracking down on one of the most beloved social media apps and one of the nation’s leading search engines, TikTok. Lawmakers began cracking down after national security concerns became apparent thanks to TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance.

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The proposed bill would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform disassociates from ByteDance.

The bill, known as the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” advanced on Wednesday out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week. On Wednesday, it was passed in the House with 352 affirmative votes and just 65 representatives dissenting.

Over 170 million Americans use TikTok and have quickly shared their concerns regarding the ban online. They share that It’s where they go to find connection, entertainment, information and for many, earn a living. Several users documented their phone calls to their local representatives, urging them to vote “no” on the bill.

No need for TikTok fanatics to panic just yet. The popular social media app won’t be removed from Americans’ phones anytime soon. The bill has to overcome a few obstacles before its signed into law.

Some things to note about the ban:

Will the bill really become law?

Since the bill has passed the House, it will move to the Senate where the outcome is unclear.

Its biggest obstacle is that the bill will affect TikTok users, who make up the demographic of young voters these American politicians need in the 2024 U.S. election. Many TikTok users called their reps threatening to vote for other candidates if they voted to pass the bill.

If it does get passed, how would the ban work?

The bill would give TikTok roughly five months to separate from ByteDance, or else app stores in the United States would be prohibited from hosting the app on their platforms.

App stores that violate the legislation could be fined based on the number of users of a banned app. The bill establishes fines of $5,000 per user of a banned app. So, in the case of TikTok, Apple and Google could potentially be on the hook for up to $850 billion in fines each.

Are there other apps that could replace TikTok for American social media users?

There are alternative social media platforms where users can go (and likely already are) to create and consume short-form videos. Between Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube, TikToker users have several options. However, they realize that these options are not favorable for their content to be seen by a huge audience across the world. The algorithm is set up differently than that of competing social media platforms.

Don’t be so quick to post your farewell videos on TikTok, but still prepare for the worst possible outcome.  Many users are following their favorite creators on other platforms, “just in case.”

We will keep our readers updated on the ban as the bill makes its way to the U.S. Senate.

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