The US is increasingly threatening to ban TikTok. Chinese owner ByteDance has been given an ultimatum. Can Congress really ban one of the country’s most popular apps if TikTok doesn’t get a new non-Chinese owner within a year? Six questions and answers.
And now, TikTok is blocked in the US?
It hasn’t gotten that far yet. ByteDance goes to court. “This is the beginning, not the end, of this long process,” a top executive wrote in a memo to employees. The app will probably appeal to freedom of expression. It was successful before. Former President Trump also tried to ban TikTok in 2020. Judges blocked that because it would close an important platform for free expression. The state of Montana refused in court for similar reasons. It will take months, perhaps years, for legal proceedings to be completed. TikTok will probably continue to function as normal for as long as possible.
Why does the US Congress want to get rid of TikTok?
Politicians consider the app a threat to national security. They fear that the Chinese government could demand data from American users and spread propaganda in the US. Researchers noted that there is hardly any information on TikTok about topics that China does not want to pay attention to, such as the oppression of Uyghurs or democratization protests in Hong Kong. Recent concerns about anti-Israel content convinced even more members of Congress that more control over TikTok is needed.
China has a law that requires Chinese companies to secretly share data with the government if it requests it. “This is an instrument that is ultimately under the control of the Chinese government,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said earlier. “You’re giving America’s main adversary control over the information America’s youth receive,” said one of the bill’s authors, Republican Mike Gallagher. In addition, TikTok’s addictive features are a cause for concern. Republicans called the app ‘digital fentanyl’, after the synthetic drug that causes many victims in the US.
What do opponents of a ban say?
In addition to TikTok itself, civil rights organizations such as the ACLU also warn that a ban on the app will affect freedom of expression. “TikTok is used by more than 170 million people nationwide for protected expressions, including political campaigns, sharing art and obtaining news and information.” The ACLU believes that the US can better improve general privacy protections, as in Europe.
TikTok also points to economic impact. Seven million companies that sell their products through the app would be affected. Donald Trump, who wants to become president again, now also opposes a ban. He hates Facebook and believes it would become too powerful without TikTok. Facebook, an American company, is lobbying in Washington for measures against its competitor.
Not directly. The app could easily cost tens of billions of dollars. There are few parties that can afford that. Large American tech firms such as Meta and Google will probably not receive permission from competition authorities, because they will become too powerful if they take over competitor TikTok. The Chinese government may also be obstructive: export restrictions may apply to the hyper-successful algorithm behind TikTok. Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin wants to try to bring together a group of investors. Software company Oracle previously expressed interest in a deal to safeguard data from American users.
What would a ban mean for American TikTokkers?
About half of the US population is on TikTok. Companies often use the app for marketing, and in addition to being a source of income and entertainment, TikTok is also increasingly a platform for information and news. About a third of young people in the US use the app for this purpose. That is why President Joe Biden himself is also on TikTok. His campaign team is trying to reach young voters.
The app urged users to tell members of Congress how important the app is to them. Employees were flooded with calls from angry TikTokers. Some reportedly cried or even threatened suicide. That convinced some hesitant politicians that the influential app could be a danger, according to Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi.
What about the rest of the world?
TikTok users may no longer see American videos there. India, also a rival of China, already banned TikTok in 2020. The Netherlands and the European Union have banned civil servants from using the app on their work phones.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.
Yes, I want free unlimited access
