Recently, the ban on the popular video platform TikTok in the US has come to the fore. Against this development, TikTok started lobbying Congress with the support of more than 170 million active users.
So what does this mean? Here’s all we know.
Will TikTok be banned in the USA?
On Thursday, TikTok users in the US were sent a pop-up message suggesting they call members of Congress against a bill that would ban the application.
TikTok users of all ages who saw the pop-up message flooded Congress with calls to continue using the app.
Congressional staff stated that they received intensive calls from TikTok users and that this situation affected them badly.
The idea of banning TikTok stems from the concern that the application belongs to the Chinese company ByteDance and could transfer user data to the Chinese government.
On the other hand, the national deputies presenting the bill are concerned that the data obtained from TikTok may fall into the hands of the Chinese government. According to the bill, ByteDance will be given 165 days to sell TikTok or withdraw from the US.
TikTok opposed the bill. Arguing that it would violate First Amendment rights and negatively affect small businesses, TikTok also suggested that millions of users and businesses would be affected if it withdraws from the US.
Despite all this, TikTok is trying to influence Congress and change its minds by mobilizing its users. Using the platform’s power, it encourages users to call Congress. Stating that user data is not stored in China and is not made available to the Chinese government, the company has also partnered with the US-based Oracle company.
Bill to ban TikTok in the US
The future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain. A bill presented in Congress offers two options instead of completely banning TikTok in the country: Either TikTok will be sold to its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or it will be banned from US app stores. Supporters of the bill argue that TikTok will not be banned completely and that it will enable ByteDance to divest from TikTok. Opponents argue that the bill will restrict freedom of expression and risks giving ByteDance more control rather than ending TikTok’s presence in the US. If the bill becomes law, TikTok’s future in the US is uncertain.
Wisconsin Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, who defended the bill, describes TikTok as “a propaganda tool of the Chinese Communist Party.” TikTok denies these allegations and argues that users’ data is safe. The bill must be voted on in both houses before it can be accepted and enacted in Congress.
It remains unclear whether TikTok will be banned in the US. The result of intensive user calls to Congress, the White House’s attitude, and TikTok’s defense are among the important factors that may affect the bill.
Featured image credit: Solen Feyissa / Unsplash
