Why does the government want to ban TikTok?

Reasons behind the government's desire to ban TikTok

The United States government has expressed national security concerns about TikTok, a social media app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. In March 2023, the U.S. government mandated that all federal employees delete the app from their phones due to these concerns. Many Americans view TikTok as a national security threat and favor banning the app in the U.S. Congress has also discussed the possibility of a federal ban on the app. The fear is that TikTok could be used to collect sensitive user data and that the Chinese government could potentially use this data for nefarious purposes.

In addition to national security concerns, there are also fears that TikTok engages in censorship and propaganda. The app has been accused of suppressing content that the Chinese government disapproves of, such as posts from disabled or plus-sized users. The app's link to China has sparked concerns over propaganda and privacy. Digital privacy experts, however, are skeptical of proposed TikTok bans, saying they are more about geopolitical tension than the app itself.

The debate over whether or not to ban TikTok has become a controversial topic in the United States. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, Americans support banning TikTok by a more than two-to-one margin. What do you think about this topic? Take part in the survey “Why does the government want to ban TikTok?“ on our website en.referendum.social. and also write your opinion in the comments.