Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Capitol Hill

Image source, EPA

I've just had a brief one-on-one with Chip Roy, a Texas Republican, during which I asked about TikTok's recent lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill - which included a plea to US users to contact their representatives and voice their opposition to the legislation.

Like other lawmakers, Roy says the effort deepened his concerns about the company.

"I think they kind of shot themselves in the foot by bringing that full-court press, demonstrating that they want to use the power of their technology to persuade people and inform them through their viewpoint," he tells me.

In his eyes, the effort amounted to "the propaganda angle that we're seeing out of TikTok".

The bill, he adds, is not solely about TikTok but will ultimately create a "framework that would apply for broadly" and target "foreign adversaries and the very data flow that would be problematic from an ownership standpoint".

On whether he believes the bill will pass in the Senate, Roy says he's "hopeful" and heartened by the support of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

China has been watching the vote closelypublished at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

15:17 GMT 13 March

Kerry Allen
Chinese media analyst

Despite most foreign media being blocked in mainland China, it’s clear from the popular social network Weibo that many have been watching the US House vote in real-time.

Many users feel angry at the suggestion that the China-owned firm will potentially either have to divest control, or face a ban in the US.

Users say the vote has left them “speechless” and that they regard a possible US move to take ownership of TikTok as “blatant robbery” of the platform.

Many are expressing confidence that China will not divest (or sell) the firm - some users say, as a result, that it’s “only a matter of time before TikTok leaves the US”.

But they do perceive that there may be a snowball effect, with other countries - particularly Western ones - looking to follow suit and ban the platform.

Let's bring you some reaction from TikTok itself after the bill - which would force the Chinese-owned app to sever ties with China or become unavailable in the US - was passed by the House of Representatives.

A spokesperson for the app calls the bill a "ban" and urges senators to listen to their constituents before taking any action.

"This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: It's a ban," they say.

"We are hopeful the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents and realise the impact on the economy - seven million small businesses and the 170 million Americans who use our service."

Brandon Drenon
Reporting from Washington DC

The US Senate Committee on Intelligence has reacted to news that a bill which could see a potential TikTok ban has passed the House.

"[We] look forward to getting the TikTok bill passed through the Senate and signed into law," the statement says.

Some Senators expressed their disagreement with the bill before the House vote, making its future in the upper chamber uncertain.

Reactions on social media have been mixed. Memes floated on X, formerly Twitter, show people who are pretending to represent Facebook, Instagram and Twitter celebrating the news. This echoes the sentiment expressed by Republicans like Donald Trump who fear TikTok's ban will empower Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.

Several lawmakers that supported the bill sought to clear the air on X, telling their followers that the bill does not ban TikTok but seeks to "remove its influence" from the Chinese Communist Party, as Representative Abigail Spanberger put it.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Capitol Hill

We've just heard from Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican and one of the co-sponsors of the bill.

Speaking to reporters after the vote, Gallagher says he hopes the Senate will "receive the message" and also pass the bill.

"We have a window of opportunity here," he says, adding he believes that Senators "seem comfortable with the text".

"But everything gets harder when you get to an election."

When asked about a timeline, he declines to give specifics.

He does say, however, that if re-elected, Donald Trump "may have an opportunity to consummate the deal of the century".

Gallagher also struck back at TikTok's efforts to encourage users to contact their lawmakers, accusing them of spreading "misinformation".

Divesting is not an option for Chinapublished at 14:56 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

14:56 GMT 13 March

Kerry Allen
Chinese media analyst

Last time there was suggestion that a US ban of TikTok could be on the table, ByteDance’s founder Zhang Yiming came under heavy fire in China for signalling that he might divest the US operations of TikTok.

In August 2020, then-President Trump signed a presidential order directing ByteDance to sell off the firm within 90 days, or face a ban.

The US tech firm Oracle agreed to a deal with ByteDance so that TikTok could remain active in the States, and at that time, Chinese media sought to emphasise that the deal was cooperative - with both parts playing an equal part rather than Oracle bailing out the Chinese tech giant.

But within China, Zhang’s suggestion at divesting the company led to huge criticism from Chinese netizens.

Users of the popular social network Weibo nicknamed him “Zhang the Kneeler”, perceiving that he had shown weakness and not had the courage to stand up to the US.

He stepped down as chief executive of the firm in May 2021. There were perceptions that he had never recovered favour domestically after being faced with this challenge.

Image source, Getty Images

The region of the app store can be changed on most mobile devices, allowing you to access apps from other countries - though this may break the terms of service of the apps downloaded, or of the devices themselves.

It's also possible to install apps downloaded from the internet, rather than app stores, by modifying your device - though this may break copyright law.

Ultimately, Apple and Google could decide to send updates to US devices which specifically stop the TikTok app from working altogether, making these workarounds null and void.

The most likely route for enforcing a government ban would be to order app stores, such as those operated by Apple and Google, to remove TikTok from their platforms.

That would mean people could no longer download the app that way, but those who already have the app would still have it on their phones.

Over time, the app would stop receiving updates, which could cause issues for users.

Even though the bill has passed in the House, it now needs to cross over to the Senate, where it is unclear if it has enough support to pass.

In the House, voting on the so-called TikTok bill - real name, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act - has concluded.

It's now been officially announced that it has passed.

There were 352 "yays" - well exceeding the necessary 290 (2/3 of the 435 House members).

Sixty-five members voted "nay".

Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

As we've just reported, the bill that could lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok in the US has completed its first step in the House of Representatives.

Next, the bill will move to the other chamber in the Capitol - the Senate - where it will be scrutinised by US senators.

Some there may want to take a different approach to how representatives just voted.

The Senate will also need to pass the measure for it to become law, and lawmakers in that chamber have indicated it will undergo a thorough review.

Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has not indicated how he plans to proceed.

But, US President Joe Biden has said if Congress passes the measure, he will sign it.

In the last few moments, the bill has passed in the House of Representatives.

It could lead to TikTok being removed from all US app stores unless the Chinese tech giant ByteDance sells its stake in the platform.

It will now head to the Senate, where it's not yet clear which way members will vote.

President Joe Biden, meanwhile, has said he will sign the bill into law if it passes in the Senate.

Liv McMahon
Technology reporter

Before it cut access to the app and Chinese counterparts including WeChat and Weibo in June 2020, India was one of the fastest growing markets for TikTok.

According to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, the country accounted for most of TikTok's users at the time it was banned - with 21% of its total monthly active users stemming from India.

It had nearly 653 million lifetime downloads in India, per the firm's data.

Its ban left people in search of alternative short-form video platforms to engage with, leading to the rise of homegrown rivals Moj and Josh.

Many have speculated that a US ban on TikTok would give a similar boost to competitors such as Instagram, which launched its short-form Reels inside its photo-sharing app, in August 2020.

Brandon Drenon
Reporting from Washington DC

Image source, Getty Images

Just before members went to vote, Kentucky lawmaker Thomas Massie shot down the bill seeking to force the sale of TikTok, saying it might as well be called the "Facebook Protection and Enhancement Act".

He and some other Republicans are concerned that getting rid of TikTok will empower Facebook, an outcome they vehemently disagree with.

Republicans accused of spreading disinformation, including former president Donald Trump, have expressed disdain for Facebook and other Meta-owned platforms for having some of their posts removed or hidden.

The social media apps remove posts they say violate their terms of use.

How did TikTok get so big?published at 14:18 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

14:18 GMT 13 March

Imran Rahman-Jones
Technology reporter

TikTok claims to have 170 million users in the US – which, if correct, would mean half the country’s population has an account.

So how did the app, which appeared in 2017, grow so quickly?

Well, it had a head start. Its predecessor is Musical.ly, a social media platform where users would lip-sync to 15-second music clips. The Shanghai-based company was making big inroads in the US and had a very young user base.

By 2017, just three years after it was founded, it claimed over 60 million monthly active users.

That year, ByteDance – already a large tech company in China - bought Musical.ly for $1bn, and renamed it TikTok.

Its user numbers continued to rise. And then the pandemic came.

Image source, Reuters

Millions of people flocked to the app as it offered bitesize chunks of news, explainers, viral dances and music trends.

Fuelled by a powerful algorithm which seemed to give its users exactly what they wanted, it became a key part of many peoples’ online lives.

And as with any social media app, the more of your social circle are on it, the more incentive there is to sign up yourself. That will make it very difficult for people to give up if it is taken away.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Capitol Hill

Image source, US government

Among those who have expressed their full-throated support of the bill is Texas Republican Dan Crenshaw.

In his remarks today, Crenshaw - a former US Navy Seal - accuses some of his colleagues of being confused "about the nature of TikTok and the intentions of the Chinese Communist Party".

"If they want you to spy for them, you will spy for them. That's how that works," he says of the company's ties to China.

"You wouldn't allow a radio tower owned by the Chinese Communist Party to be put up in the middle of Washington DC," he goes on. "You would probably complain about that."

The constitutional right to free speech, Crenshaw adds, "does not give TikTok the right to manipulate the minds of Americans".

TikTok has repeatedly sought to distance itself from its Chinese owners, denying users' data could or would be shared with the Chinese government.

Young TikTok users have expressed their concerns as lawmakers in Washington, DC vote on a bill that could ban the app in the country.

The social platform is currently used by 170 million Americans.

China criticises America's 'ugly behaviour’ ahead of votepublished at 14:10 Greenwich Mean Time 13 March

14:10 GMT 13 March

Kerry Allen
BBC Chinese media analyst

There’s been fierce criticism in Chinese media this week ahead of the House vote on TikTok.

The national Global Times newspaper has criticised “the US’s ugly behaviour” and accuses the country of “abusing the concept of national security” and attempting to seize the platform “by force”.

Former editor Hu Xijin similarly slams the vote, saying the US's “business ethics decay faster than the country itself”. He highlights the platform has become popular all around the world and is even being used by President Joe Biden’s campaign team.

Multiple Chinese newspapers have featured satirical cartoons criticising US attempts to suppress TikTok’s growth, claiming that the platform is a national security risk. The Global Times argues this goes against “the principle of fair competition” and China Daily claims the US wants to have its cake and eat it.

Of course, there’s always a certain irony in China voicing criticism of a potential TikTok ban - given the platform isn’t even accessible in the country.

Like other popular social media platforms Facebook, X and Instagram, TikTok is blocked in China. People instead use a sister platform known as Douyin, which has all the same functionalities as TikTok - but is only available within the country and is directly subject to monitoring and censorship from Beijing.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Capitol Hill

The vote is now taking place and will continue for 15 minutes.

Lawmakers are filing in and out of the room and chatting to each other on the House floor.

Stay with us for more updates.

Image source, US government

TikTok has been banned on government devices in countries including Canada, Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Taiwan, the US and the UK.

The UK Parliament made its decision last March to ban ministers from using the app on their work phones following a security review.

Similar moves were taken elsewhere in the UK - including the Scottish and Welsh parliaments as well as London's City Hall.

At the time, TikTok offered to reassure the MPs who raised concerns about the app with spokeswoman saying bosses from the app would be willing to "clarify any inaccuracies about our platform".

Imran Rahman-Jones
Technology reporter

TikTok has been trying to reassure US lawmakers for a while about the security of US data.

The concern from the US stems from a law in China which requires companies to make their data available to the Chinese intelligence services.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was founded in China. However, it says US data is not shared with the Chinese government.

Key to this claim is Project Texas, a $1.5bn initiative from TikTok to wall off its American data.

The company says this means no data from US users would go to China, and ensures no interference in the algorithm from Chinese officials.

It means all TikTok traffic in the US goes through servers based in the US, but which can “communicate with the global TikTok service in controlled and monitored ways.”

However, an investigation from the Wall Street Journal, external in January found the system was still “porous”, with data being unofficially shared between TikTok in the US and ByteDance in China.

A TikTok spokesperson told the WSJ they were "voluntarily implementing our plan to protect U.S. user data."