TikTok Ban: What You Need to Know
Despite years of attempts to ban TikTok, the popular video-sharing app has won congressional approval for a measure that would outlaw it. The measure gives ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, nine months to sell the company, with a possible additional three months if a sale is in progress. However, it could be at least a year before a ban goes into effect, and with likely court challenges, this could stretch even longer.
What does this mean for you?
If an eventual ban does take effect, TikTok will disappear from Apple and Google’s app stores, meaning users won’t be able to download it. This would also mean that TikTok wouldn’t be able to send updates, security patches, and bug fixes, and over time the app would likely become unusable and a security risk.
Are there workarounds?
Some users may try to circumvent the ban using VPNs, alternative app stores, or foreign SIM cards. However, this requires technical expertise, and it’s not clear what will and won’t work.
What about data privacy?
Lawmakers and intelligence officials have expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on TikTok users. ByteDance has denied these allegations, stating that it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and won’t do so if asked.
Conclusion
The proposed TikTok ban has raised concerns about data privacy and the future of the popular app. It remains to be seen whether the ban will go into effect and, if so, how it will impact TikTok users. In the meantime, users should consider the potential risks associated with using the app.
