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US Lawmakers Again Push for TikTok Ban

  • #Politics
  • #Legislation
  • #China
  • #Science & technology
  • #United States of America
US Lawmakers Again Push for TikTok Ban
story
MAR 2024
Image copyright: Drew Angerer/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
story last updated MAR 2024

The Spin

Anti-China narrative

US lawmakers used to be able to trust China, but recent events have made that impossible. As long as Americans have no idea what information Beijing is collecting, national security is at risk. This ban will protect users or force ByteDance to find a US owner for TikTok.

CNBC

Pro-China narrative

This is nothing but a campaign tactic by lawmakers to increase China-based xenophobia ahead of the 2024 election. TikTok is nothing more than a useful tool for boosting business, teaching, and entertaining hundreds of millions of Americans, but US politicians are again putting their political gain over the wants of the people.

Global Times

Narrative C

Like state bans of TikTok, this attempt to strip the app from Americans likely won't survive a First Amendment challenge. Instead of banning the app, the government should boost its privacy initiatives to protect users' data. The government should always be more interested in protecting privacy than limiting speech.

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Narrative D

The free speech aspect of this debate goes far beyond the US-China issue. Banning TikTok — whose algorithm allows political information to spread much faster than any other platform — is a tactic that has already been used by governments to suppress dissent. Nepal, for instance, banned TikTok after people used the app to criticize a recent presidential pardon. No matter why the government does it, banning a popular digital platform sets a precedent for other apps to be banned when the elites no longer like the content it hosts.

Recordnepal

Metaculus Prediction


Go Deeper

The US-China Conflict
Context
+5
AUG 2022AUG 2022

Establishment split

CRITICAL

PRO

Government Hasn't Justified a TikTok Ban
Electronic Frontier FoundationJUL 2023
TikTok's potential U.S. ban presents host of questions for app stores, internet companies and the government
CNBCJUL 2023
Is time running out for TikTok? New bill would force TikTok to cut off China or face ban
USA TodayFEB 2024
Congress Set for Showdown With TikTok Over Chinese Ownership
NewsweekFEB 2024
Experts Cheer Bill Compelling Chinese Parent Company To Offload TikTok
Daily CallerFEB 2024