Anti-CCP Espionage via Social Media Act of 2021 or the ACES Act of 2021
This bill requires certain actions related to ByteDance Ltd., the Chinese parent company of TikTok (a video-sharing mobile application).
Specifically, the bill grants Executive Order 13942 the force and effect of law. That order prohibits certain transactions by any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States with ByteDance. The bill provides statutory authority for that prohibition and specifies exceptions. Further, the bill establishes enforcement procedures and penalties for related violations.
The bill requires ByteDance, within 90 days of this bill's enactment, to divest itself of (1) any assets or property used to enable or support ByteDance's operation of the TikTok application in the United States, and (2) any data obtained or derived from TikTok application or Musical.ly application users in the United States. The bill outlines further requirements and procedures for such divestment.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) must review proposed sales or transfers by ByteDance to a third party. CFIUS may implement measures as necessary to verify compliance with the required divestment.
CFIUS must review and issue a report to the President on the relationship of each covered U.S. business with ByteDance to determine the effects of such relationship on U.S. national security. The President may take actions to suspend or prohibit the relationship.