TikTok קורא למשתמשים להתקשר לקונגרס בנוגע לאיסור הממשמש ובא

As support grows for a Congressional bill that would effectively ban TikTok in the US, the video platform is rallying support among its key group: its users.

TikTok sent a push notification to its US users on Wednesday, warning that "Congress is planning an absolute ban on TikTok" that "(will) deprive 170 million Americans of their constitutional right to free expression." The page states that the ban "will harm millions of businesses, ruin the livelihoods of countless creators around the country, and deprive artists of an audience." The alert includes a way for users to find their representatives and call their offices.

The notification comes shortly after the White House expressed support for a bipartisan bill aimed at TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The bill – called the Protection of Americans from Foreign Adversaries Act – is a response to perceived national security risks posed by TikTok, particularly regarding how the company collects user data. The bill would require TikTok to divest from ByteDance or face removal from app stores in the US.

TikTok has reached out to its users in the past as political pressure mounts. In 2023, as support for another bill grew, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew appeared in a video posted on TikTok's official profile to warn users and ask them to speak out in the comments. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the push notification and what further efforts it might plan in response to the latest proposed legislation.