The U.S. House of Representatives has advanced legislation that would ban TikTok in the country or force its Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell the app amid national security concerns over potential data sharing and propaganda influence from Beijing. The bill, which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously, was an unexpected development that caught TikTok off guard and has reignited interest from potential buyers like former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. While TikTok urged users to call Congress opposing the bill - a move that backfired - the company sees the legislation as an effective ban that would be challenged legally on free speech grounds. The Senate also must pass the bill, which President Biden has pledged to sign into law, setting up a potential showdown over the future of one of the country's most popular apps.

TikTok Crackdown Shifts Into Overdrive, With Sale or Shutdown on Table | WSJ

US House to vote next week on TikTok crackdown bill | Reuters