US Senate passes bill forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok or face ban

The US Senate passed legislation Tuesday (April 23) that would force ByteDance, TikTok's China-based parent company, to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a controversial move by U.S. lawmakers that is expected to face legal challenges and disrupt the lives of content creators who depend on the short-form video app for their income.

The statute has been amended to provide ByteDance an extra nine months to sell TikTok, with an additional three months if the sale is already underway. The secret weapon of TikTok, the algorithm that recommends movies to users based on their interests and has propelled the platform to viral success, would also be out of the company's control under the measure.

The passage of the legislation is a culmination of long-held bipartisan fears in Washington over Chinese threats and the ownership of TikTok, which is used by 170 million Americans.