The Lens: US House panel approves bill giving Biden power to ban TikTok

Reuters and Yanni Chow

The US House Foreign Affairs Committee, the panel responsible for oversight and legislation related to the country’s international affairs, voted last Wednesday along party lines to give President Joe Biden the power to ban TikTok, in what would be the most far-reaching US restriction on any social media app.

Lawmakers voted 24 to 16 to approve the measure granting the administration new powers to ban the app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, as well as other apps considered security risks. TikTok is used by over 100 million Americans.

The app has come under fire recently due to privacy fears, with Representative Michael McCaul, the Republican chair of the committee who sponsored the bill, saying, “TikTok is a national security threat ... It is time to act.”

Democrats opposed the bill, saying it was rushed and required due diligence through debate and consultation with experts. The bill does not precisely specify how the ban would work but gives Biden the power to ban any transactions with TikTok, which could prevent anyone in the US from accessing the app.

Representative Gregory Meeks strongly opposed the measure, saying it would “damage our allegiances across the globe ... and undercut core American values of free speech and free enterprise.”

The fate of the latest measure is still uncertain and faces significant hurdles before it can become law. The bill would need to be passed by the full House and US Senate, which is controlled by Democrats, before it can go to Biden.

“A US ban on TikTok is a ban on the export of American culture and values to the billion people who use our service worldwide,” a TikTok spokeswoman said after the vote.

Last month, Biden said he was not sure if Washington would ban TikTok. Last week, the White House gave government agencies 30 days to ensure that TikTok was not on any federal devices and systems.

• Why has TikTok generated so much controversy?

• To what extent do you agree with the argument that the US should ban the app?

Valerie Shek, Independent Schools Foundation

A landmark decision by the Seoul High Court decided last month that same-sex partners are eligible for coverage under South Korea’s National Health Insurance Service.

Lawyers and advocates said this marked the first time in the history of South Korea that the status of a same-sex union has been recognised. It is a major victory for LGBTQ rights in the country and proves that, in the same way protections should be secured for people with disabilities, women and older citizens, gay rights also deserve to be recognised.

Other places in Asia have already made huge steps towards protecting the legal rights of LGBTQ couples; Taiwan officially recognised same-sex marriage in 2019, becoming the first in Asia to do so.

Meanwhile, in June 2021, courts in Hong Kong granted parental rights to same-sex partners, and a more recent ruling made it easier for transgender individuals to change the gender marker on their HKID without having to undergo full gender reassignment surgery.

This is a monumental decision that moves South Korea closer to achieving LGBTQ equality. Obviously, there is still a long way to go – for instance, same-sex marriage is still not legal in the country – but this ruling offers hope that prejudice can be overcome.

People should support LGBTQ individuals because everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

South Korea High Court recognises legal status of same-sex couple in historic ruling