Tiktok has been a popular social media app with more than 1 billion users scrolling per day. It’s an app where people can show creativity and a place where strangers can connect on certain topics.
However, recently, a bill passed allowing the administration the ability to ban apps that are connected to foreign enemies of the United States. Unfortunately, Tiktok is owned by Chinese technology firm “ByteDance”, so many Tiktok users are worried about the potential banning of this app.
The United States is justified in worrying about the Chinese Communist Party potentially requesting access to spy on US users, however it is concerning the overall negative effects it could have on Tiktok users.
Tiktok is one of the easiest apps to get recognition on because of how brief and quick you can watch videos. This is mainly why businesses market their products a lot on this app. It is a useful app to gain a following because the TikTok community has a specific algorithm and language.
Entrepreneurs, Jeremy Kim and John Dalsey worked on making a hard-seltzer company named Nectar. They went viral many times on Tiktok, hitting the right algorithm with just 15 second videos. Because of tiktok, they gained the ability to grow and not only sell on online food delivery apps, but at local stores, such as BevMo.
With the ban of this app, small businesses will struggle to market their products and have little likely chance of thriving online. Yes, there are other social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook but it is very difficult to flourish a business because of the engagement rate. Banning these apps could have a negative impact on businesses, particularly small businesses that may not have the resources to adapt to these changes. This could lead to job losses and economic instability
TikTok has been accused multiple times of collecting data on its users and sharing it with the Chinese government, but while the company has denied these allegations, there is no denying that the app collects a significant amount of data on its users.
However, the bill does not provide any safeguards to protect the privacy of users. This means that the administration could potentially collect data on users of banned apps, which is a clear violation of their privacy rights.
This ban can be seen as a move by the United States to curb China’s influence in the global tech industry. This can lead to backlash from China creating a further deterioration in the relationship between the two countries.
The TikTok ban bill is a questionable idea that infringes on people’s privacy and violates their freedom of expression. If not taken in the right direction, it could take a wrong turn. Businesses that have an audience on TikTok would be affected, and there may be a chance of bigger problems arising, such as backlash from China.
