TikTok ban: USA threatens nationwide censorship
The US government has been fighting the popular short video app TikTok for some time. A renewed push could now mean a ban on TikTok across the country.
According to forecasts, TikTok by the year 2025 In the USA alone there are more than 100 million monthly active users. The Chinese short video platform has already passed the one billion mark worldwide.
But especially in the USA, the popular app has repeatedly had to contend with opposition from government circles. A renewed demand from the US government could even mean a ban on TikTok, as the Wall Street Journal reported.
TikTok ban: what are the US threats about?
The US government’s security concerns about TikTok are not new. In December, members of the US House of Representatives were banned from using the Chinese app on their work phones.
“Employees of the house are NOT allowed to download the TikTok app on mobile devices of the house. TikTok is NOT allowed on the house’s mobile devices,” said an official statement at the end of last year.
The House is removing TikTok from all work phones starting today, per notice I obtained
"The Office of Cybersecurity has deemed The TikTok mobile application to be a high risk to users due to a number of security risks"
(the omni implemented a similar policy for the feds) pic.twitter.com/gcvQhql0du
— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) December 27, 2022
Now the government of US President Joe Biden has launched another counterattack. Because the US government is demanding that the Chinese parent company ByteDance sell the app. Otherwise there is a risk of a nationwide ban.
TikTok CEO must testify before US Congress
The timing of the threats from the US government is apparently well considered. Because in the coming week, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will have to answer to the US Congress.
The survey is about the safety of the users. But probably also the question of whether TikTok poses a risk to the national security of the country.
Because the survey should also deal with the business practices and the company’s relationships with the Chinese government.
Also interesting:
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- Security concerns: EU bans TikTok on employee work phones
- TikTok exposes Russian propaganda network in Europe
- TikTok admits: Individual employees decide what goes viral
The article TikTok ban: USA threatens nationwide censorship by Maria Gramsch first appeared on BASIC thinking. Follow us too Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
