House panel approves bill that could ban TikTok

WASHINGTON (CNN) – TikTok’s time in the U.S. may be ticking away.

On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance a bill that could ban the China-linked social media platform from all U.S. devices like phones and tablets.

If the bill is enacted, TikTok’s parent company, Byte Dance, would have 165 days to sell the app.

If Byte Dance does not do that, the bill would make it illegal for TikTok to be available for download in app stores.

U.S. officials have repeatedly said Chinese intelligence laws make it possible for Beijing to collect user information data from Byte Dance.

TikTok is already prohibited on government-owned devices.

The American Civil Liberties Union says the bill would hinder free speech for Americans.