The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed a bill with bipartisan support that may lead to a nationwide TikTok ban, marking a significant challenge to the popular social media platform. The proposed legislation aims to remove TikTok from U.S. app stores unless ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, divests its ownership. This move reflects widespread concern among lawmakers that the Chinese government could potentially exploit ByteDance's access to compel the handover of data from about 170 million American users, citing national security threats.

The bill, which now faces uncertainty in the Senate, saw a vote of 352 to 65, with opposition from both Democrats and Republicans. The debate around TikTok's future has attracted diverse political attention, with even former President Donald Trump, who previously advocated for banning TikTok, softening his stance. Meanwhile, the platform's significant popularity among young Americans has led to pressure on Democrats from progressive factions within their base.

China's response to the vote has been sharply critical, with accusations of bullying from its foreign ministry. The bill's advancement, unanimously supported by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, now awaits President Joe Biden's approval, who has indicated his willingness to sign it into law. This legislation proposes a five-month deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok, post which app stores would be barred from offering the app for download.

TikTok has condemned the bill as an infringement on free expression, rallying its user base to protest against the proposed ban. The platform's proactive campaign has led to a flood of calls to congressional offices from concerned users. As the bill progresses to the Senate, TikTok's statement emphasized the hoped-for consideration of facts and potential economic impact, signaling a pivotal moment for the app's future in the U.S. and its vast user community.