“We go dark,” is what the popular social media platform users were told weeks before the ban took place on Jan. 18. This is nothing new to the users of the popular social media app. There have been numerous times when the app was speculated to be banned by government officials, but it wasn’t until Jan. 18 that the ban was fully enacted. The recent ban on TikTok in several countries has sparked a heated debate about the balance between national security and digital rights. While those in favor of the ban argue that the ban is necessary to protect citizens from potential foreign influence, TikTok users repute, stating that it marks a dangerous shift toward government overreach. The ban itself sets a troubling undertone for digital censorship, limiting freedom of expression and access to information in the name of security. As governments continue to exert more control over digital platforms, how free are we from censorship?
The ban’s history: What sparked it?
Numerous conspiracy theories exist regarding the reasons for the ban’s enactment and its lifting after just 12 hours. Before we analyze the ban itself, we must first understand the motivations behind its implementation. Going back to 2017, when the Chinese social video app merged with Musical.ly, TikTok has grown from a small platform to one that is the root of all trends. However, U.S. officials have also identified the merger as a possible national security concern. It wasn’t until April that former President Biden signed legislation that would order TikTok’sparent company ByteDance to sell to a U.S. owner within a year. In a historic move, the U.S. government has enacted a law that bans a social media platform for the first time. TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has promised to challenge the Biden administration in court, arguing that the law would infringe on the free speech rights of millions of Americans. And that it does.
What national security concerns?
Since the creation of TikTok, the U.S. government has been on high alert of what potential threats TikTok poses to the U.S. The Center for Strategic and International Studies examines (CSIS) the national security risks that are of concern, the first being Chinese government interference in U.S. politics. One of the most popular reasons for the ban is that TikTok is allegedly being used to collect personal data on Americans. Choosing to download TikTok on smartphones or devices can lead to the installation of harmful software by China. Only the third source poses a significant danger.
What makes the concerns about this data somewhat confusing is that, while it is true that China collects personal data on Americans, this practice is not new. China has been gathering data on Americans for at least a decade, largely due to the United States’ failure to pass privacy legislation that would prohibit foreign countries from accessing data on American personal devices. The reasons for the proposed TikTok ban are quite weak. Officials argue that China is using Americans’ data for espionage and counterintelligence purposes, such as identifying U.S. agents by matching it with other information; however, there is no substantial evidence that China benefits from this data. The irony is that if China really wanted to gather data from Americans for its own advantage, it seems unlikely they would choose a social media app primarily used by people under 30 who share comedy and dance videos.
What is so bad about banning TikTok?
It is unprecedented in the U.S. Congress to consider banning any kind of “foreign” app. While the recent ban only lasted less than 24 hours and was not implemented in any substantial way, it’s remarkable that banning an app due to mere speculation of foreign interference in American data—without any solid evidence—has become a priority for the United States.
One of the most immediate and unlawful consequences of banning TikTok is the infringement on free speech. Social media platforms, including TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram, have become essential tools for personal expression and community building. To ban such a large platform silences an incredible number of the American population. In a democracy, this is a slippery slope that threatens the very foundation of free speech. If the U.S. government can easily pass a law to ban something as minor as a social media platform, who is to say how far they will go to impose more restrictions on forms of expression in the future? This lays the groundwork for a future where internet regulations prioritize control over individual freedoms.
