US lawmakers want ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban

U.S. lawmakers advanced the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which would require ByteDance to divest TikTok or face bans on app stores and hosting, with fines up to $5,000 per U.S. user for violations. Backed by the White House and slated for classified briefings with FBI, DOJ, and ODNI, the effort targets perceived CCP influence and data access risks, while TikTok, civil liberties groups, and press advocates argue it constitutes unconstitutional censorship and would harm millions of users and small businesses.