The Real Reason The U.S. Wants To Ban TikTok

TikTok is the fastest growing social media app in the world right now.

Initially starting out as a platform for short, entertaining, viral videos, TikTok has quickly evolved into a multifaceted platform that is actively influencing our culture.

Created by Bytedance, its algorithm is finely tuned to keep users engaged for extensive periods of time, attracting over a billion users globally so far.

This platform's success has prompted competitors like Facebook and Instagram to introduce features like reels, and YouTube to implement YouTube Shorts, aiming to match TikTok's success and mimic their features.

Essentially, TikTok has redefined what we expect from social media.

However, TikTok's meteoric rise and influence come with notable drawbacks.

Its impact is especially marked among younger audiences, fostering a culture of instant gratification and focus on sensational content over meaningful depth.

Users often find themselves scrolling for hours, mostly engaging with content that offers temporary entertainment without substantial value, keeping them trapped in a continuous cycle of endless scrolling.

And this brings me on to one of the other most significant issues with TikTok.

It's impact on the youth and their mental health.

The issue isn't that TikTok uniquely affects young people's mental health; rather, it amplifies existing problems observed with other platforms.

TikTok, with its video-centric approach and significant emphasis on sound, is inherently more stimulating than platforms like Facebook or Instagram.

This design, coupled with its user experience, contributes to its addictive nature.

Each swipe through TikTok triggers our dopamine system, enticing us to continue using the app and making it increasingly difficult to disconnect when necessary.

This habitual engagement can erode our attention span over time, diminish our interest in real-world interactions, or make it challenging to focus on tasks, offering a form of escape from more demanding activities.

But while both of these problems are significant, they aren't why the US wants to ban the platform.

The proposed TikTok ban in the US has recently become a focal point of intense debate and legislative action, reflecting broader concerns over privacy, national security, and the influence of foreign governments in American digital spaces.

At the heart of the issue is the apprehension that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, could fall under the influence of the Chinese Government, potentially compromising sensitive data on US users.

This has led US legislators to propose a bill requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a Western company to eliminate Chinese influence.

The bill extends its provisions to other apps considered to be under "foreign adversary control," suggesting a broader crackdown on apps linked to countries that may pose a national security threat.

Despite TikTok's assurances that it operates independently of the Chinese government, skepticism remains among US officials.

TikTok's attempts to reassure through initiatives like storing American users' data with Oracle in the US have not fully alleviated concerns.

The legislation, supported by figures from both political parties and President Joe Biden, stipulates that ByteDance must sell TikTok's US operations within six months or face a ban.

So really, the US don't want to ban TikTok, but are threatening to do so if the bill passes and they refuse to sell.

But this isn't the first time TikTok has faced a ban in another country.

India officially banned TikTok, along with 58 other Chinese apps, in June 2020.

The primary reason given for the ban was to protect the sovereignty and integrity of India, ensuring the security and privacy of Indian citizens' data.

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology cited concerns over the mining and profiling of data by, and I quote "elements hostile to national security and defense of India," which ultimately posed a threat to the sovereignty and security of the country.

This action was taken under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, with the government stating that it had received many complaints from various sources about the misuse of these apps for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers located outside India.

The backdrop of this decision was a heightened tension between India and China due to border disputes, notably the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh in June 2020.

The ban was part of a broader strategy by India to put economic pressure on China amid escalating geopolitical tensions. Following the initial ban, India has continued to prohibit additional Chinese apps, reinforcing its stance on protecting the country's digital sovereignty and security.

This move was also reflective of a global conversation about data privacy, the role of technology companies in national security, and the geopolitical dynamics of technology as a whole.

The ban underscored the increasing trend of digital and technological sovereignty becoming integral to national security strategies worldwide.

The following clip from the Patrick Bet David Podcast adds more context to the situation between China and India.

The progress of the bill through Congress has been noteworthy.

It quickly gained momentum in the House of Representatives, receiving bipartisan support, which signaled a strong move towards regulation that caught many off guard, including TikTok and its vast community of creators.

However, one vote, in particular, captured attention in the days after it was cast.

Jeff Jackson, a Democratic representative from North Carolina with a considerable TikTok following, has been recognized for his transparency as a politician. Yet, questions arose about his integrity last week when it was revealed that he voted in favor of a TikTok ban, despite having benefited personally from the platform.

The following video was deleted by Jackson after everything went south, but it gives a good idea on what his stance on the bill was.

Upon viewing the video, it becomes understandable why he supported the bill, and his reasoning appears well-founded.

In my view, the public's reaction to his vote seems more intense than warranted. It doesn't seem he intended to be deceitful in any way.

The following videos highlight the public's response in the days following the discovery of his vote.

A few days later Jeff Jackson made an apology video and discussed why he voted in favor of the bill.

Personally, I don't think he needed to apologize, likewise I don't think he could have foreseen the backlash he received.

This last video I want to show you is from Brett Cooper from The Comment Section and perfectly explains why this is an over reaction by his followers

The case of Jeff Jackson sheds light on the origins of the backlash against the bill and clarifies why congressmen like him voted as they did.

Turning our focus back to the bill's journey, despite its success in the House, it currently faces a standstill without Senate approval.

The bill's future in the Senate is uncertain for several reasons:

A noticeable division exists among senators, with some placing a higher value on civil liberties than on national security concerns.

Legal questions surrounding free expression loom large, suggesting potential disputes over the First Amendment and the bill's compatibility with it.

A recent video featuring Senator Laphonza Butler offers insights into her perspective on the bill, potentially illuminating what the Senate considers before voting.

The Senate, composed of 100 members with two representatives per state, requires only a simple majority for the bill to pass, despite the complex issues surrounding it.

Should the Senate approve the bill, it will be forwarded to the President for endorsement. President Biden has already stated his intention to sign it should it reach his desk.

However, the concerns surrounding this bill extend beyond the surface.

The official position of the U.S. is that TikTok poses a national security threat, a topic we've already delved into.

But it prompts the question: are there other motivations behind the U.S.'s desire to either ban TikTok or mitigate its influence?

The first is the speculation that that banning TikTok could help control political narratives

Social media platforms like TikTok have become crucial battlegrounds for influencing public opinion. These platforms allow for rapid dissemination of information, ideas, and ideologies, reaching vast audiences globally.

The virality factor of social media content means that narratives, once picked up, can spread far and wide, potentially shaping public sentiment and political opinions on a large scale.

One of the concerns regarding platforms like TikTok is their potential to host and amplify narratives that contradict or challenge the prevailing political narratives or policies.

This includes content that might critique government actions, promote opposition viewpoints, or mobilize support for causes not aligned with those in power.

The decentralized nature of content creation on these platforms makes it difficult for any single entity to control or censor divergent views comprehensively.

Governments or political groups might seek to control or influence these narratives for several reasons:

Firstly, controlling the political narrative is a way to maintain power and suppress dissent.

If a platform is perceived to be facilitating anti-government sentiment or mobilizing opposition, there might be an incentive to restrict its use.

Another is Information Warfare.

In the digital age, information warfare has become a critical concern. Social media platforms can be used by foreign entities to interfere in domestic affairs, spread propaganda, or influence electoral outcomes. Controlling these narratives is thus seen as a matter of national security.

The desire to control political narratives through social media poses significant questions about freedom of speech and the right to information.

While governments may justify actions like bans on the grounds of national security or public order, these moves are often criticized for stifling dissent, limiting public discourse, and infringing on digital rights.

Globally, the issue of social media and political narrative control is not specific to the US.

Various governments have taken steps to regulate social media, ranging from imposing regulations and fines for spreading misinformation to outright bans of platforms.

These actions highlight a broader struggle to balance the benefits of open, digital public dialogue with the risks they pose to national security, public order, and the integrity of political processes.

This perspective is purely speculative, lacking concrete evidence that the U.S. aims to ban TikTok for these reasons.

However, it's reasonable to assume that if this were the case, it wouldn't be publicly disclosed.

TikTok users might notice that the platform appears to have less censorship compared to others, possibly ranking just behind platform X in terms of openness.

Whether this lesser degree of censorship is positive or negative remains a matter of debate. Nonetheless, it does create an environment where narratives unwelcome by the U.S. could thrive.

So, in conclusion, the discourse surrounding TikTok encapsulates a myriad of contemporary concerns at the intersection of technology, culture, politics, and international relations.

TikTok's meteoric rise as a social media behemoth underscores the profound impact digital platforms can have on cultural trends, entertainment, and the way we interact with content on a daily basis.

Its role in shaping, and sometimes challenging, cultural norms and narratives speaks to the power of viral content and the algorithm-driven delivery that keeps users engaged for hours.

Yet, the controversies surrounding TikTok — from the potential impacts on mental health and attention spans, especially among the youth, to broader geopolitical tensions — reflect deeper, systemic issues inherent in the digital age. The platform's addictive nature and its influence on content consumption patterns reveal significant challenges in balancing digital innovation with societal well-being.

The legislative efforts in the US to potentially ban TikTok or force its sale highlight a growing trend towards scrutinizing the influence of foreign-owned technology companies on national security and privacy.

These actions, echoing India's earlier ban amid its own geopolitical tensions with China, point to the increasing conflation of technology and national sovereignty.

The debates and legislative moves encapsulate concerns over data privacy, the potential for foreign influence, and the broader implications of allowing international platforms unrestricted access to national markets.

Critically, the situation also raises pivotal questions about freedom of expression and the role of social media in public discourse.

The potential for platforms like TikTok to shape political narratives and the ensuing governmental responses spotlight the delicate balance between security and liberty.

The controversy over TikTok is emblematic of broader dilemmas facing democracies in the digital era, where the lines between safeguarding the public, maintaining open channels for free expression, and protecting national interests are increasingly blurred.

Furthermore, the reaction to legislative actions, as seen in the backlash against figures like Jeff Jackson, underscores the complex web of interests and opinions that social media itself helps to weave.

These platforms not only serve as arenas for entertainment and information sharing but have become battlegrounds for ideological and political contests, reflecting and amplifying societal divisions.

As we navigate these tumultuous waters, it is crucial to remain vigilant about the implications of our digital dependencies, both for individual well-being and the health of our democracies.

The TikTok saga serves as a stark reminder of the need for transparent, equitable, and thoughtful regulation of digital spaces.

It underscores the importance of fostering digital environments that promote meaningful engagement, protect user data, and support the free exchange of ideas, all while safeguarding national security and public welfare.

In the end, the future of TikTok, and platforms like it, will likely continue to be a litmus test for how societies manage the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital revolution.

As this narrative unfolds, it will be imperative for stakeholders across the spectrum — from users to policymakers — to engage in open, informed dialogues that shape the trajectory of our digital future in ways that uphold democratic values, promote digital literacy, and ensure that technology serves the greater good.