As TikTok has grown in popularity, so too have concerns about its parent company ByteDance, and its capacity as a vector for surveillance and propaganda by the Chinese government.

With new legislation, Congress may be on the verge of action. The 

Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act

, which passed the House with a 352-65 vote and now faces ongoing discussions in the Senate, would force ByteDance to divest its ownership, or face a ban on the app.

​Proponents of the bill argue that this is a narrowly targeted measure to address a clear national security threat, consistent with other restrictions on foreign ownership in areas like broadcast media. Critics, meanwhile, have raised First Amendment concerns, and argued that this is a slippery slope to target platforms like X or Truth Social.

 invite you to a debate on the bill, with the following resolution: Given national security concerns, ByteDance should be forced to divest from TikTok or face a ban.

, Director of External Relations, Young Voices, this event is part of FAI's 

 podcast debate series. Panelists include:

 // Senior Fellow in Indo-Pacific Studies, American Foreign Policy Council

 // Director of Research, American Economic Liberties Project

 // Technology Policy Research Fellow, Cato Institute

 // Principal Attorney, Godwin’s Law Consulting

​To attend in person, join us on Wednesday, April 24 at Nice & Easy at 1124 Congress St NE in Washington, DC. To catch the debate online, stay tuned and subscribe to FAI’s podcast, 

This event is intended to comply with the widely-attended event exception of the congressional gift rules; executive branch officials should consult their gift rules and Designated Agency Ethics Officers regarding attendance

Michael Sobolik

Matt Stoller

Jennifer Huddleston

Mike Godwin

Join us for a riveting policy debate on the pressing issue surrounding ByteDance's ownership of TikTok and the demands for its divestiture.


A four-day event to connect people & ideas in the progress movement. Organized by Roots of Progress Institute and co-sponsored by FAI, Institute for Humane Studies, Institute for Progress, Works in Progress, Abundance Institute, and others.

A four-day event to connect people & ideas in the progress movement

Abundance stems from the idea that society’s challenges cannot all be resolved merely by regulation or redistribution, but also require the active expansion of material resources, opportunity, and productivity. Abundance will require realigning incentives and redesigning processes to create a bigger, more inclusive economy. It will also require shifting away from the scarcity mindset that dominates our political discourse, too often upheld by those invested in maintaining the status quo. The Abundance Movement promises more opportunities for vastly more people, eager to prove that we can all rise together.

This event is organized by the Breakthrough Institute and co-chaired by FAI executive director Zach Graves. Learn more:  https://www.abundancedc.org/ 