A bill that would give TikTok‘s Chinese owner six months to sell the social media business to a U.S. company or face a ban passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday, but split the San Diego delegation.
The bill passed 352-65 on bipartisan support with Reps. Darrell Issa, Mike Levin and Scott Peters voting in favor, but Sara Jacobs and Juan Vargas voting against.
Jacobs acknowledged the potential security threat posed by Chinese ownership of an app used by 170 million Americans, but called the legislation a “blunt instrument” that undermines freedom of speech.
“As a member of both the House Armed Services and House Foreign Affairs Committees, I am keenly aware of the threat that PRC information operations can pose, especially as they relate to our elections,” Jacobs said. “However, after reviewing the intelligence, I do not believe that this bill is the answer to those threats.”
“The United States has rightly criticized others for censorship and banning specific social media platforms in the past. Doing so ourselves now would tarnish our credibility,” she added.
Vargas echoed the freedom of speech concerns, saying “We should respond to any national security threat posed by TikTok in a way that stays true to our country’s commitment to freedom of speech.”
Lawmakers said their offices had received large volumes of calls from teen-age TikTok users who oppose the legislation, with the volume of complaints at times exceeding the number of calls seeking a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
The bill faces a more uncertain path in the Senate where some favor a different approach to regulating foreign-owned apps posing security concerns. And TikTok is now focusing its lobbying on that chamber.
“We are working tirelessly to continue educating the Senate about the impact this proposed legislation would have on the 170 million Americans who use our service,” TikTok told employees in a memo. “Our strategy remains the same — we continue to believe that the best way to address concerns about national security is with transparent, U.S.-based protection of U.S. user data.”
Reuters contributed to this article.
