COLUMBUS, Ohio — The U.S. House passed a bill Wednesday to ban TikTok if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, doesn't sell the app. The vote was 352 to 65.
If the Senate passes it and President Biden signs it into law, it could lead to a nationwide ban of the video app. ByteDance would have five months to sell the China-linked social media platform.
Ohio Republican Senator J.D. Vance supports the intention of the bill but wants to make sure the current bill is not written too broadly.
"Yes, you want to make sure that TikTok can't steal people's data and give it to the Chinese Communist Party," Vance said. "You also want to make sure the First Amendment is protected in how we do this."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted both support the bill.
"They can gather data on our citizens. None of this is good. These people are not our friends," DeWine said.
"TikTok has been banned in our household for a long time because we know that they're collecting data and trying to addict people to that platform," Husted said.
The Columbus Metropolitan Library launched its TikTok in 2021 and has built up to nearly 20,000 followers. Library spokesperson Gregg Dodd said losing the marketing tool would hurt.
"For us, this has been a great tool for us to really connect with those younger customers that might not be in tune with what the library is doing," Dodd said.
Dodd said TikTok has helped increase attendance at library branches around the city.
He says library leaders understand the privacy and security concerns, and if a ban ultimately happens, they will find other marketing channels. The library already uses other social media platforms.
"We're always looking for the next greatest thing in social media," Dodd said. "We're watching all the tools that are out there."
Senator Vance said if Congress does this the right way, TikTok will be sold to an American company and there will be stronger protections for people's data and privacy.
There is no word on when the bill could come up for a vote in the Senate.