Protecting Americans Act Prompts Crackdown on Foreign Apps

by Edward Delgado

Heat’d SFL/ The introduction of H.R. 7521 explicitly mentions ByteDance Ltd. and Tiktok.

The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (H.R. 7521) became law on March 11, 2024, mandating a nationwide shutdown of foreign-owned apps used by American users unless specific conditions were met. The law aims to prevent diplomatic fallout and national cybersecurity threats by restricting the operations of foreign-controlled applications in the United States unless the parent company divests its stake.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, based in China, was ordered to divest its U.S. operations or face penalties, including being blocked from American users. Additionally, the legislation ensures that affected users can retrieve their account information in a portable format, emphasizing the protection of user data amid heightened security concerns.

The Act’s implications extend beyond TikTok. The Pentagon’s list of companies with potential military affiliations includes major Chinese firms like Tencent and Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL). While no immediate punitive actions have been taken against these companies, the U.S. government has increased its scrutiny of Chinese influence in industries ranging from social media to advanced technology with global implications.

With TikTok’s future uncertain, many Americans have migrated to Xiaohongshu, or “Red Note,” a Chinese app that combines social media and e-commerce. The move was seen by some as an act of protest against U.S. government actions, as users flocked to an app owned by the Chinese Communist Party. While Xiaohongshu has become the most downloaded app in the U.S., its ties to Chinese government censorship and unclear content guidelines have raised significant concerns about user freedoms and state influence.

WSJ/ Chinese censors crack down on RedNote posts as Americans flock to TikTok alternatives.

On January 17, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the Act, affirming that investigating foreign-owned companies is a matter of national security. The Court’s decision underscored ByteDance’s ownership of TikTok as a credible threat, prompting immediate compliance with the law.

In anticipation of the Act’s enforcement, TikTok voluntarily suspended its U.S. services on January 18, 2025, around 10:30 PM EST. The 12-hour shutdown disrupted service for its 170 million American users and highlighted the growing tension between TikTok and U.S. regulators. Services resumed around 12 PM EST on January 19 after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to issue an executive order granting TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps a temporary grace period.