No More Mr. Tough Guy on China
AtlanticJAN 19
Report: TikTok Plans US Shutdown If Ban Takes Effect
Above: A TikTok logo displayed on a smartphone. Image copyright: CFOTO/Contributor/Future Publishing via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The TikTok ban is crucial to national security, as ByteDance's control over TikTok poses risks through data collection and potential manipulation of American users' content. Recent reports even allege ByteDance has been requiring executives to pledge allegiance to China's socialist system, demonstrating the platform's true alignment.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's time for SCOTUS to prevent this ban. Regardless of what ByteDance is planning to do with TikTok, this law is a slippery slope toward weakening the First Amendment. US lawmakers continue to claim TikTok presents a national security threat but have provided zero evidence.