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Washington Wednesday: US Doubles Down on Threat of Tik Tok Ban

 

 

It's been three years since the US Congress banned using TikTok on Federal government devices.  Could a ban for all Americans be the next to last thing the Biden administration will do on its way out the door? 

 

As of Friday, December 6, 2024, in a significant escalation of national security measures, the U.S. government is poised to enforce a nationwide ban on TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests its ownership by January 19, 2025 (I'll give you 3 guesses as to why that date). This decision stems from a little over 5 years of concerns that the Chinese government could exploit the app to access sensitive user data and disseminate propaganda among the platform's 170 million American users.

 

Discussion of the threats from TikTok (really ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company) has been ongoing since October 2019.  The then-Trump administration threatened to ban TikTok, yet no specific action occurred until a year later under the Biden administration.  Do you wonder if this could even happen? Have you seen a Huawei phone IRL since 2019? Or how about Kaspersky Antivirus software?   

 

TikTok legal Batlle

TikTok has announced plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming the ban violates First Amendment rights and constitutes censorship. But here’s the question:

 

How does a Chinese-owned company argue for First Amendment protection in the U.S.?

 

This is the same China that routinely imprisons between 40 and 100 journalists at any given time. The irony is hard to miss.

 

Implications for Users and Businesses

If the ban proceeds, TikTok will be removed from app stores, preventing new downloads and updates. Existing users would lose access to the platform, impacting content creators, businesses, and consumers who rely on TikTok for engagement and marketing.  

 

Many U.S. business owners and influencers are understandably worried about the impact on their livelihoods. But there’s a crucial lesson here:

• Don’t hinge your marketing strategy on a single platform. Relying heavily on third-party platforms like social media is risky. These platforms are subject to geopolitical changes, regulatory decisions, and corporate policies that you have zero control over.
• Diversify your marketing strategy to include multiple channels. A single-channel approach – especially one that relies on a free platform – leaves your business vulnerable to sudden disruptions.

 

Potential Outcomes and Industry Reactions

ByteDance Divestiture: To avert the ban, ByteDance could sell TikTok's U.S. operations to a non-Chinese entity, subject to approval by both U.S. and Chinese authorities—a process complicated by geopolitical tensions.

Political Considerations: President-elect Donald Trump, set to assume office on January 20, 2025, has previously opposed banning TikTok, suggesting a possible policy reversal.

 

Global Context

The U.S. isn’t alone in its apprehensions. Other countries have already taken action:

• India banned TikTok in 2020, citing national security concerns.
• Canada has restricted the app on government devices.

The concerns are global, and the push to rein in Chinese tech influence is growing.