Social Media Erupts As Bill Threatens TikTok Ban In U.S. AGAIN!

Here we go again. TikTok lovers, get ready for yet another battle to keep the app you so love.

There's a new bill threatening to ban TikTok in the United States and the timeline is scary. On Tuesday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill that would give China's ByteDance only six months to sell the popular app or face a ban in the U.S. While there have been previous threats to TikTok in the past, this new legislation could prove to be the worst threat thus far.

According to USA Today, Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House of Representatives' select China committee said in a statement, "This is my message to TikTok: break up with the Chinese Communist Party or lose access to your American users. America's foremost adversary has no business controlling a dominant media platform in the United States."

And it's not just the Republicans. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the committee, said the bill addresses national security concerns about TikTok being Chinese owned. The bill would force TikTok to cut ties with ByteDance or be blocked in the country. It has more than 12 co-sponsors.

The bill gives ByteDance only 180 days to find a buyer who has the resources to buy the app and make all the necessary switches.

A TikTok spokesperson told HuffPost, "This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs."

The Biden administration previously attempted to pressure TikTok to divest from its Chinese ownership. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., or CFIUS, reportedly warned the social media platform that it would need to be sold to an American company or face a nationwide ban. But talks between the CFIUS and TikTok were halted in the past year.

TikTokers are obviously not happy about this bill and are airing their grievances on the app wherever they can.

TikTok creator Aaron Parnas recently shared the information about the bill in a video and many viewers are not holding back their thoughts.

"The United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce has unanimously approved a bill that could ban TikTok in the United States of America. The bill will now have to be voted on by the full House of Representatives. A vote could come as soon as next week," Parnas said. "It will then move to the Senate if it passes the House, and then potentially to President Biden's desk."

He further explained that the bill would require TikTok to severe ties from ByteDance, its parent company, within 165 days. If it fails to do that, the U.S. will prohibit TikTok from "appearing in the Apple Store or Google Play Store."

"Now lawmakers on Capitol Hill have signaled that the reason behind this piece of legislation is because of potential national security concerns with ByteDance's connections with the Chinese government," he continued. "But some have called this piece of legislation, in essence, an attempt to just ban TikTok."

Parnas concluded his video with a plea for anyone who wants TikTok to stay put.

"Call your representatives and tell them to keep TikTok and not to ban the app," he said.

Many viewers shared their thoughts on this possible ban in the comment section of the video.

"The only reason they want to ban Tik Tok is because our corrupt government can't control it," one person wrote. Another added, "They don't want TikTok because it allows us to hear the truth and they have no control."

And it seems that many others stuck with that very same theme.

"This app is a powerful tool that puts them at risk. They can’t move in darkness anymore. Knowledge is power," one person shared.

"They don’t work this hard to be in guns or keep people in prison. I don’t get it, I love TikTok," another added.

One other viewer said, "Let's ban TikTok so Americans can only see approved media outlets."