US: Representatives approve bill to ban TikTok

A bill was approved by representatives in the House of Representatives this Saturday (20) that would require TikTok's owner to sell the app in order to remain in the United States. The plan still has to go to the Senate, after which it will go to President Joe Biden for approval.

Members of the US parliament argue that the application from the Chinese company is influencing young people. According to the text, the application could be banned from the country if TikTok's owner, PittiDance, does not divest its shares.

The approved text was attached to another bill guaranteeing a new financial aid package for Ukraine and Israel.

Flavia Lefèvre, a lawyer specializing in consumer law, telecommunications and digital rights, said, “The only good thing about this decision is that this talk of freedom, democracy is nonsense, it's for other people's homes” . “Do what I say, but don't do what I do,” jokes the lawyer, member of Intervozes and Coalizão Direito na Rede.

He was referring to the campaign by the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court (STF) against the spread of fake news and hate speech on social media by Republican politicians associated with Donald Trump.

Flávia argues that the explanation for this move necessarily involves “the geopolitical dispute between the United States and China in this technological field.” Also, Flávia said that “these platforms calibrate algorithms according to political interests”, so the US is concerned about the type of content that reaches the general public, usually young people.

“Many are protesting against the support of [Joe] Biden to Israel? China has a completely different position on this. They are [EUA] “There should already be reports, studies, about the level of influence a site that moderates content can have on how citizens view the US government,” he assesses.

Flávia also highlights that the STF, mainly in the figure of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, is not identical to this action by the United States, while pressuring Network X and its owner, Elon Musk, to satisfy the Brazilian government and the Supreme Court.

In an interview with AFP news agency, a TikTok representative said, “It is regrettable that the House of Representatives used the pretext of significant foreign and humanitarian aid to adopt a ban proposal again, which would affect the freedom of expression of 170. Millions of Americans,” he said.

Editing: Rodrigo Gomez