By: Youheng Zhong

Recently, lawmakers and regulators in the West expressed increasing concerns that the Chinese government could use TikTok to gather user-sensitive data. As a result, the U.S. government has passed legislation banning the social media platform unless it’s sold to a government-approved buyer.

Here’s why the U.S. government was so eager to sign that legislation.

Fear of Tactical Advantage
The U.S. and China have a long, complex history with each other. Currently, their relationships are strained. This is due to several reasons. One of the biggest is that they support opposing nations in international conflicts. For example, in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, the U.S. has sided with Ukraine while China supports Russia. If China’s government could gain access to sensitive data, it could result in financial exploits, data leaks, and stolen info that could further harm users. This is highly feasible because China’s government could demand ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to turn over the data. Because of this risk, the U.S. government is concerned that TikTok is collecting personal info without consent, such as names, locations, and social security numbers. And it’s not just a small selection of users in the U.S.: over a 1/3 of the U.S. uses TikTok as of April 3rd, 2024. Further, China could exploit TikTok’s content recommendations to spread misinformation by deciding what shows up in a user’s feed. “It’s not just the collection or theft of that data.” says John Carlin, former Assistant Attorney General for National Security, “It’s also manipulating what it is that you see. And the question is for the national security professionals, do we want China determining what it is that we see here in America?”

Everyone Else is Doing It
Many people are opposed to the U.S. banning TikTok, (after all, it’s something that over a 1/3 of the U.S. uses), but many other countries and government bodies have already done so, including but not limited to Australia, Britain and its Parliament, Canada, and India. Many countries have also cited that TikTok has caused national security threats. For instance, Nepal banned TikTok in November 2023 due to it “disrupting social harmony” and being one of the root causes of cybercrime (over 1,600 TikTok-related cybercrime cases have been registered in Nepal in the past four years) among other reasons.

TikTok’s Response
TikTok denies all allegations that it has been giving sensitive user data to the Chinese government, calling the accusations “political theater”, a bluff only for the sake of appearance. In addition, TikTok sued the federal government for violation of the First Amendment. If the government justified the ban, there would be intense backlash, as many Americans, including many businesses, elected officials, and major news organizations post on TikTok. After all, TikTok is more than just a social media platform: it’s where people have improved their lives, shared opinions, and expanded businesses.