Home
AI
World
Politics
Health
Crime & justice
Science & technology
Social issues
Sports
Money
Entertainment
Environment/energy
Military
Culture
Weather
Media






Home
Bias Split
Public FiguresControversies

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters
Sign Up for Our Free Newsletters

Sign Up!
Sign Up Now!

How our sliders workAboutContact UsNewsletter Archive
MediaFAQGlossaryPrivacy Policy
  1. Home

Trump Downplays TikTok Security Risks

  • #China
  • #Espionage
  • #Politics
  • #United States of America
Trump Downplays TikTok Security Risks
story
JAN 23
Above: President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on Jan. 20, 2025.  Image copyright: Jim Lo Scalzo/Contributor/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
story last updated JAN 23

The Spin

Narrative A

The focus on TikTok's security risks is overblown when considering that China manufactures most American phones and computers, which pose potentially greater security threats. The platform primarily serves young people watching entertainment content, and its influence has helped connect with younger voters. PRC tech in American markets does need scrutiny, but TikTok isn't a major example of this.

New York Post

Narrative B

TikTok represents a significant national security vulnerability by collecting vast amounts of sensitive user data, including biometric information, location data, and behavioral patterns. The Chinese government could compel ByteDance to surrender this information at any time — potentially enabling surveillance, blackmail, and corporate espionage against American citizens and institutions.

BangkokpostAl Jazeera

Pro-China narrative

The US TikTok hysteria has backfired massively, with bad-faith attempts at xenophobia actually resulting in American customers taking refuge in the Chinese alternative app, RedNote. The US must provide a fair and transparent market for competition, and not use threats of banning or tariffs to interfere with the business of TikTok. TikTok has been a boon to the US economy both in terms of enhancing business and employment opportunities — US policy should be reasonable going forward.

Global TimesGlobal Times

Metaculus Prediction


Public Figures

Donald Trump

Joe Biden

Elon Musk


The Controversies


UNLIKELYLIKELY
Status:Open
Will TikTok Be Banned or Sold?
Controversy
JAN 23JAN 23

Go Deeper

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

Articles on this story

Trump’s Hint at Deal Making Gives China a Little Breathing Room
New York TimesJAN 12
Trump downplays concerns over China using TikTok for surveillance, calls it an app for ‘young kids watching crazy videos’
New York PostJAN 12