Americans sound off on TikTok ban in viral rants: 'Embarrassing to be a US citizen'
TikTok users called out the bill's forward progress as other key concerns remain unaddressed
Will the Senate take up the bill to ban TikTok?
'Barron's Roundtable' panelists offer their insight on the fight over the fate of TikTok as the battle shifts to the U.S. Senate.
American frustrations erupted on TikTok in the days following the House of Representatives' bipartisan vote in favor of proposed legislation that, if passed, would force Chinese-owned company ByteDance to divest from the popular video sharing platform.
"It's EMBARRASSING to be a US citizen," the text from one of TikToker Lauren Ramos' recent videos read.
Like others disgusted by last week's vote, Ramos railed against the measure that, if passed, would block the platform in the U.S. if its parent company ByteDance fails to divest within 165 days of passage.
The bill would also require the platform to be purchased by a country that is not a U.S. adversary.
50 DEMOCRATS, 15 REPUBLICANS VOTE ‘NO’ ON BILL AIMED AT BLOCKING TIKTOK
TikTok faces the threat of a looming ban if a proposed bill passes Congress and forces its parent company ByteDance to divest from the platform. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato / AP Newsroom)
"[This is] the one time they [members of Congress] decide to unite forces and come together," Ramos said in part.
"When the homelessness rates are going up, people can't even feed their kids, the government's just like, ‘Okay, maybe later.’ but when it comes to TikTok… are you kidding me?"
Date Right Stuff, the TikTok account for "The Right Stuff" dating app for conservative singles, chimed in with a post that highlighted similar complaints from U.S. citizens' perspectives.
"I can't afford a home, I don't feel safe, groceries are way too expensive, my entire neighborhood is filled with homeless people," he said in the video.
The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's headquarters on January 6, 2022 in Shanghai, China. ByteDance would be forced to divest from TikTok within 165 days of the proposed bill's passage if the measure comes to fruition. ((Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Shifting to the U.S. government's perspective, the post sarcastically continued with, "The best I can do is ban TikTok."
User @pearlmania500 ranted about the bill's bipartisan support as Congress tables more pressing concerns, with the caption on a recent video reading, "Get ready with me as we get silenced by congress."
"The only thing all 535 members of f---ing Congress can f---ing agree on is to ban TikTok? That's it? That's the only thing?" he said.
"I heard them talk about raising the minimum wage. [They] can't f---ing agree on that. I heard them talking about keeping prescription drug prices low for people. Nope, can't agree on that… but when it comes to banning TikTok, line up buddies!"
TikTok CEO reacts to 'disappointing' passage of bill to social media app: 'Make your voices heard'
TikTok's CEO Shou Chew posted his response to the House of Representative's passage of a bill that could ban the short-form social media platform in U.S. app stores.
Others accused legislators of supporting the bill under the influence of special interest groups – namely American social media giants that allegedly seek to ban the competition to line their own pockets.
User @legitimatehermit, for instance, brought up a number of counterarguments addressing points made by those who support the potential ban, including widely-discussed concerns that the Chinese parent company ByteDance is using the app to spy on users.
"There is not a piece of technology that Americans use that is not actively spying on them at all times," he said in part.
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Meanwhile, popular figures have voiced opposition to the proposed ban as well, including former President Donald Trump, who feared such a ban would prompt users to flock to other, allegedly "worse" platforms like Facebook.
Responding to last week's House vote, TikTok CEO Shou Chew posted a video to the app, encouraging its users to "make [their] voices heard."
Fox News' Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
