United States of America: Passed Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (HR 7251)

On 13 March 2024, the US House of Representatives passed the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" (HR 7251). The Act prohibits the distribution, maintenance or update of a foreign adversary-controlled application in the US territory through a marketplace such as online app stores or through internet hosting services. In particular, ‘‘foreign adversary controlled application’’ is defined as a website, desktop application, mobile application, or augmented or immersive technology application that is operated, directly or indirectly, by ByteDance, TikTok or another social media company controlled by a foreign adversary, which the President of the US considers to be a threat to national security.