The US House Just Passed A Bill To Ban TikTok, And The Internet Is Coping With Jokes
Ugh, it's official folks. The US House of Representatives has passed a bill in an effort to effectively ban TikTok.
The bill passed with bipartisan support and a final vote of 352–65, so I guess our lawmakers can agree on something.
This bill intends to put pressure on TikTok's parent company to either sell the app, or have it banned nationwide, according to the New York Times.
To rationalize, lawmakers have expressed concerns of “national security threats” due to TikTok being owned by a China-based company. However, TikTok does not operate in China, and it collects less data than Facebook. Meanwhile, Facebook has experienced eight security breaches since 2004.
When speaking of the bill, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement: "Today’s bipartisan vote demonstrates Congress’ opposition to Communist China’s attempts to spy on and manipulate Americans, and signals our resolve to deter our enemies."
Here's what the CEO of TikTok had to say about the bill:
TikTok’s CEO has responded after the US House passed a bill that could potentially ban the app pic.twitter.com/rq2Hw5hcqI
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) March 14, 2024
@Dexerto
People are seriously angry about this passing, and are calling out US lawmakers for their priorities:
"Teachers underpaid, zero gun laws to keep people safer, women's rights are being questioned, the LGBTQ+ community is constantly under attack…..but they got time to vote to ban TikTok," one user wrote.
Teachers underpaid, 0 gun laws to keep people safer, womens rights are being questioned, the LGBTQ+ community is constantly under attack…..but they got time to vote to ban TikTok pic.twitter.com/hpXxqfl4kr
— 💫 (@heyjaeee) March 13, 2024
Hulu / @heyjaeee
"Instead of banning TikTok, how about you ban the zoning laws that are ticking up rents and making us tok about affordable housing," another person said.
instead of banning tiktok how about you ban the zoning laws that are ticking up rents and making us tok about affordable housing
— derek guy (@dieworkwear) March 13, 2024
@dieworkwear
"We have completely lost the plot in this country lmao," another person wrote.
we have completely lost the plot in this country lmao
— a girl with no face ⚡️ (@Stop_Hammerzeit) March 13, 2024
@Stop_Hammerzeit
The bill will be sent to the Senate next for a final vote, but people seem to be coping with TikTok's potential ban with jokes, so here are a few that came across my timeline:
1.
Can’t believe this is the last time I get to watch this https://t.co/1zpFjjdZch pic.twitter.com/Hu7egR4ZoA
— Jay Zim (@jay_zimmer) March 14, 2024
@CBSNews / @jay_zimmer / RCA Records
2.
gen z on their way to storm the capitol https://t.co/Z8jwhAXY8c pic.twitter.com/si1oaXFM6y
— Saint Hoax (@SaintHoax) March 13, 2024
@PopBase / Disney+ / @SaintHoax
3.
Me at work after they ban tik tok pic.twitter.com/GcUsrQiw8H
— Big Girl Slay 💋 (@Biggirlslay) March 13, 2024
@Biggirlslay
4.
Mark Zuckerberg watching everyone run to Instagram Reels after this TikTok ban pic.twitter.com/nQvWQL80qv
— jotman🌵 (@jotmanjotman) March 13, 2024
Hulu / @jotmanjotman
5.
“dad tell me about tiktok before it was banned” pic.twitter.com/gsXHjd77J3
— ₭𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐢 🎒 (@ohkanobii) March 13, 2024
HBO / @ohkanobii
6.
The U.S. House has officially passed the bill to ban Microsoft Teams next please please please
— . (@npc1npc2npc3) March 13, 2024
@npc1npc2npc3
7.
hell yeah nancy. tic tac toe, tickle me elmo, ticketmaster. just say whatever comes to mind queen https://t.co/VC9cbgYMmg
— soul khan (@soulkhan) March 13, 2024
CSPAN / @HowardMortman / @soulkhan
8.
This is the kind of thing you say to someone at a bar that makes you realize in real time that you are now drunk https://t.co/hzGDIibZrL
— Ash Diggs (@AshDiggs_) March 13, 2024
CSPAN / @AshDiggs_
9.
this is what conservatives think will happen to people that have tiktok on their phone pic.twitter.com/Rec1QmQzoq
— snowbird (@snowbirdtbh) March 13, 2024
Nickelodeon / @snowbirdtbh
10.
If they banned tik tok how tf ima cook
— Chris Coro (@iamchriscoro) March 14, 2024
@iamchriscoro
11.
Somebody on Facebook said “I’ll move to China to use Tik Tok if I have to 😭”
— Lori Harvey Jr. 💁🏽♀️ (@keke_shontae) March 13, 2024
@keke_shontae
12.
If Tik Tok is so dangerous, why the President got one?
— Monica 🇨🇩🇵🇸 (@BlakPantherBabe) March 13, 2024
@BlakPantherBabe
13.
RIP “Dinner ideas black people” 😩 https://t.co/c4gnyKqQg0
— Big Joe 🎱 (@Headgraphix) March 12, 2024
@Headgraphix / @PopBase
14.
My understanding of the push to ban TikTok pic.twitter.com/KMXtWuFbS5
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) March 13, 2024
Hulu / @ParkerMolloy
15.
Them kids gone be lined up in front of the White House just like this https://t.co/gJ38tYavlS pic.twitter.com/tWy8jjGaA6
— ~anitamaxwynn~ (@spicynita94) March 14, 2024
@spicynita94 / @Phil_Lewis_ / @tonylopez via TikTok
16.
Influencers headed to DC pic.twitter.com/80Rn0lSuTk
— 💫 (@heyjaeee) March 13, 2024
Hulu / @heyjaeee
What do you think about the House of Representatives' vote to ban TikTok? Let us know in the comments below.
