TikTok Ban Bill Could Cost Apple and Google Hundreds of Billions in Fines
House Passes Legislation Forcing TikTok Sale or Nationwide Ban
By Scott Wong and Kyle Stewart | April 18, 2024 10:55 PM PDT
The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that would ban TikTok in the US unless it cuts ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The bill establishes fines of $5,000 per user of a banned app, raising the prospect of massive penalties for Apple and Google, the two largest app stores in the US.
If TikTok were banned, Apple and Google could potentially be on the hook for up to $850 billion in fines each, based on the number of TikTok users in the US. TikTok is one of the most popular social media apps in the world, with over 170 million active users in the US alone.
The bill is a major challenge to TikTok, which has been under fire from US lawmakers over concerns about data security and censorship. The Trump administration has threatened to ban TikTok in the US if it does not sell its US operations to an American company. TikTok has denied any wrongdoing and has said it is committed to protecting user data.
The bill is expected to face strong opposition in the Senate, where Republicans have expressed concerns about its impact on free speech. However, if the bill does become law, it would be a major blow to TikTok and could have a significant impact on the social media landscape in the US.
The vote on the bill is scheduled for Wednesday. If the bill passes the Senate, it will be sent to President Trump for his signature.
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