Is TikTok on the Chopping Block? What You Need to Know
Unpacking the imminent threat of a ban
People who don’t use it might be shocked to know how influential TikTok has become in the social media pantheon. If you do use TikTok, chances are good that you’ve learned about the banning on the app itself. A third of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 “regularly” get their news from TikTok.
On April 24, 2024, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 was signed into law by President Biden. The law directs that ByteDance, the Chinese parent company that owns TikTok, must “sell the app’s US operations” within 270 days. If they don’t, a nationwide ban on TikTok in America may go into effect, and app stores and web hosts will be blocked from distributing TikTok.
Why has TikTok become such a hot political issue?
The U.S. government is not known for its quick embrace of technology or even for its politicians being able to understand many of its recent advances.
In this case, however, both the legislative and the executive branches seem highly motivated to force a change in TikTok ownership. Proponents of this bill and members of the national security community say this is for several reasons. The largest among them, however…
