Elon Musk Opposes US Planned Ban Of TikTok

Elon Musk has taken a stance against a potential ban on TikTok in the United States, despite the fact that such a move could potentially benefit his own social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). This comes as the US House of Representatives prepares to vote on a bill that could force TikTok to separate from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or face a nationwide ban.

TikTok Ban in Play

The measure, which has garnered support from both Democrats and Republicans, has been included in a large aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. This could potentially facilitate its passage in both chambers of Congress.

Musk’s Stance on TikTok Ban

Musk voiced his opposition to the ban on X, emphasizing that it would go against the principles of free speech and expression. “TikTok should not be banned in the USA, even though such a ban may benefit the X platform,” he posted.

A number of users on X responded to Musk’s comment, expressing concerns that a TikTok ban could set a precedent that might extend to other social media and messaging services.

Bill Provisions and Implications

The proposed bill would require ByteDance to sell TikTok within a few months or face removal from Apple and Google’s app stores in the US. Additionally, the bill would grant the US president the authority to designate other applications as national security threats if they are controlled by a country considered hostile.

TikTok criticized the bill, arguing that it would harm the US economy and undermine free speech. A company spokesperson stated that the bill would “trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the US economy annually.”

Concerns About TikTok

Concerns have been raised by Western officials regarding TikTok’s popularity among young people, suggesting that the app is subservient to Beijing and could be a channel for spreading propaganda. Both the company and Beijing have denied these claims.

President Joe Biden reiterated his concerns about TikTok during an early April phone call with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

Last month, the House of Representatives passed a similar bill aimed at TikTok, but it stalled in the Senate.