Move to ban tiktok grows as US Congress lambasted TikTok

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A U.S. ban of Chinese-owned TikTok, the country's most popular social media for young people, seems increasingly inevitable a day after the grilling of its CEO by Washington lawmakers from across the political divide.

But the Biden administration will have to move carefully in denying 150 million Americans their favorite platform over its links to China, especially after a previous effort by then-President Donald Trump was struck down by a U.S. court.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew endured a barrage of questions by U.S. lawmakers who made clear their belief that the app best known for sharing jokes and dance routines was a threat to U.S. national security as well as being a danger to mental health.

In a tweet, TikTok executive Vanessa Pappas deplored a hearing "rooted in xenophobia."

With both Republicans and Democrats against him at Congress, Chew must now confront a White House ultimatum that TikTok either sever ties with ByteDance, its China-based owners, or be banned in America.

Bipartisan legislation

A ban will depend on passage of legislation called the RESTRICT ACT, a bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate this month that gives the U.S. Commerce Department powers to ban foreign technology that threatens national security.

When asked about Chew's tumultuous hearing, spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre repeated the White House's support of the legislation, which is one of several proposals by Congress to ban or squeeze TikTok.