Joe Biden has said he would sign legislation banning popular video-sharing app TikTok in the United States.

Legislation passed through the US House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously on Thursday calling on China’s ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok or effectively face a US ban.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, who supports the bill, has indicated it will soon come up for a full vote in the House.

“If they pass it, I’ll sign it,” Mr Biden said when asked by reporters about the legislation.

The White House had provided technical support in the drafting of the bill, but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier this week the TikTok legislation “still needs some work” to get to a place where Mr Biden would endorse it.

Former president Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential candidate, posted on his Truth Social platform on Thursday saying he opposed a ban because it would help rival social media platform Facebook.

He previously issued, then rescinded, an executive action late in his presidency intended to ban TikTok and another popular app, WeChat.

Both the FBI and Federal Communications Commission have warned TikTok owner ByteDance could share user data, such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers, with China’s authoritarian government.

TikTok said it has never done that and would not do so if asked.

Read more on Sky News:
Home Office to pay TikTok influencers urging migrants not to cross Channel
‘Technical issue’ blamed for Facebook and Instagram problems
Ceasefire deal in Gaza before Ramadan ‘looking tough’, Biden says

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

In 2022 Mr Biden banned the use of TikTok by the federal government’s nearly four million employees on devices owned by its agencies, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security and security research purposes.

While his administration has raised national security concerns about TikTok, Mr Biden’s re-election campaign joined the platform last month.

The UK also banned TikTok from government phones last year, bringing it in line with the US, Canada and EU.

Related posts:

Boris Johnson raises Harry Dunn case with Joe Biden ahead of G7 summit Sir Richard Branson launches space flight as Virgin Galactic takes off Turpin sisters, held captive alongside 11 siblings by their parents, speak out about ‘hell’ they endured Police move in on truckers protesting at US-Canada border after injunction issued Standoff between police and truckers protesting at US-Canada border continues after more than seven hours ‘I wish they understood the trauma’: Rape survivor considered suicide after discovering pregnancy Police officer tells court he saw hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul Hollywood actors announce strike as union and studios fail to reach deal Fire kills ‘nearly all’ animals at wildlife centre NFL star Tom Brady stuns Birmingham fans by meeting them in pub Mick Fleetwood loses restaurant in Hawaii wildfires – and says situation on the ground is ‘catastrophic’ NFL star’s father charged with driving while intoxicated – days before the Super Bowl