Written by: Jai Jhaveri
Edited by: Marvin Kimwon
TikTok has become one of the largest social media apps all over the world. It is a popular hub for new dance trends, challenges, and sits at the center of pop culture today. The app is owned by the Chinese and has been under scrutiny for its data collection and privacy methods. Lawmakers, particularly those on the right, are concerned about the massive amount of data that the app is able to collect from its users and worry for their security. Lawmakers want to ensure that this data is not finding its way to the hands of the Chinese government and are considering banning the app in the United States where it has about 150 million users (Maheshwari).
Currently, TikTok is seeking federal approval of their plan, Project Texas. This plan seeks to explain how, with the help of government-appointed oversight officials, the company will stop the Chinese government from gaining access to US users’ data and influencing the content they see (Maheshwari).
Recently, the app’s CEO Shou Chew appeared before Congress to address questions from members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee (Maheshwari). Throughout the 5 hour long hearing, Chew tried his best to persuade lawmakers that China’s Communist Party does not have access to US data and that US users are safe on the app (Shepardson and Ayyub). Aside from data privacy concerns, lawmakers were concerned about the types of content TikTok exposes children to. This includes eating disorders and illegal drug usage (Shepardson and Ayyub). Members from both the Democratic and Republican Party have expressed support for a ban given the aforementioned issues.
The notion of a potential ban has already created some tension between the American and Chinese government. The Biden administration wants to see Chinese investors removed from the app’s investor pool (Shepardson and Ayyub). The Chinese believe that this will disturb investor confidence all over the world, not just in China (Shepardson and Ayyub). The hearing itself caused the share prices of TikTok’s competitors, Meta and Snapchat, to slightly increase (Shepardson and Ayyub).
On the other hand, this ban proposes a serious issue for TikTok influencers. TikTok influencers are those that have gained massive followings on the app and have consequently made unbelievably large amounts of money through things such as brand deals. A ban on the app would be severely detrimental to their success. In an effort to lobby for the app, TikTok brought over 30 famous influencers to the Capitol to advocate for the app (Maruf).
Considering its international prevalence in today’s society, a ban of the app will significantly change the social media industry. Whether a ban will definitely be enacted is still unclear, TikTok will have to do more to assuage lawmakers fears of TikTok being a national security threat.
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