Lawmakers in the US are considering a bill that would force
TikTok
to cut ties with its
Chinese parent company
,
ByteDance
, or face a ban in the US. In response, TikTok has reportedly launched a user mobilization campaign within the app. “Stop a
TikTok shutdown
,” the message on the app read. It included a button for people to call their representatives, saying: “Let Congress know what TikTok means to you and tell them to vote NO,” a report in New York Times.
Tiktok goes to users
When users opened TikTok on Thursday, they were greeted with a message urging them to oppose the legislation.
The message included a button allowing users to directly call their representatives in Congress and ask them to vote no. According to the report, this tactic resulted in a surge of calls to congressional offices, overwhelming some phone lines. Lawmakers' staff reported receiving hundreds, even thousands, of calls, some from teenagers who might not fully understand the situation.
What lawmakers pushing for Tiktok ban say
The pushback from TikTok has been met with criticism from certain quarters. Lawmakers who co-sponsored the bill argue that TikTok's message is misleading and interferes with the legislative process. They believe the app is essentially lying to protect Chinese interests.
TikTok, however, maintains that the bill is a disguised attempt at a complete ban and that their US operations are secure. They haven't revealed how many users received the message.
Congress tells staff why Tiktok needs to be banned
While the bill passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously, it has a long road ahead. It needs approval from the full House, then the Senate, before becoming law. Some Senators have expressed reservations about the bill's direct targeting of TikTok and ByteDance, fearing legal challenges. However, others are open to considering the legislation.
Analysts see TikTok's campaign as a savvy organizing tactic, potentially pressuring Congress. However, there's a risk it could backfire by highlighting concerns about foreign influence on a major US platform.
The House committee has even distributed talking points to congressional staff on how to respond to the influx of calls, essentially countering TikTok's message. One of the scripts reportedly suggests that staff members tell callers that “TikTok has been lying about the bill" and that the app “has worked really hard to hide” its relationship to China.
“The bill requires TikTok to break off that relationship,” the committee’s script said. It advised staff members to tell callers that when the app does that, “you can keep using TikTok” free of Chinese influence.
English (US) ·