Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has spoken out against the effort to ban TikTok in the US, saying it would conflict with the First Amendment and is “not what America stands for.”
Musk added that while the ban would likely benefit social platform X – which he purchased in October 2022 – he does not support the ban.
“In my opinion, TikTok should not be banned in the US, although such a ban could benefit platform X,” Musk wrote Friday. “To do so would be contrary to freedom of expression. That’s not what America stands for.”
The Tesla CEO’s stance on the issue comes just days after GOP leaders unveiled a bill focused on national security priorities that includes language that would ban the use of TikTok in the U.S. if its parent company Chinese company – ByteDance – is unable to divorce its operations from the Chinese. Communist Party within 12 months.
The modified provision would extend ByteDance’s time to sell the app from six months to a year, an adjustment that was welcomed by Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).
Cantwell announced Wednesday that he would support the amendment, a key development for the legislation to gain more support in the upper chamber.
The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversarial Controlled Applications Act, the initial bill to ban the platform, was introduced last month. It passed the House just a week after it was introduced, but received resistance, even from former President Trump.
“I am very happy that the president [Mike] Johnson [R-La.] and House leaders incorporated my recommendation to extend the ByteDance divestment period from six months to one year,” Cantwell said Wednesday. “As I said, it is necessary to extend the divestment period to ensure there is enough time for a new buyer to close the deal. I support this updated legislation.”
Musk’s stance on the ban aligns him with progressive Democrats, who have expressed similar concerns regarding legislation that potentially violates users’ freedom of expression.
President Biden said that if the TikTok bill passes both chambers, he will sign it into law.
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