TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, may soon be banned in the U.S. After years of attempts to restrict the Chinese-owned app, a measure to outlaw it has won congressional approval and was signed by President Biden on Wednesday. The measure gives TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company ByteDance nine months to sell the company, with a possible additional three months if a sale is in progress. If ByteDance doesn’t sell TikTok, it will be banned from operating in the U.S.
The proposed ban has raised concerns among TikTok users, who are unsure what it means for them. It would likely disappear from Apple and Google’s app stores, making it unavailable for download. TikTok would also be unable to send updates, security patches, and bug fixes, rendering the app unusable and potentially posing a security risk.
Despite the ban, teenagers may find ways to circumvent it, such as using VPNs, alternative app stores, or installing foreign SIM cards. Users may also migrate to other platforms, such as Instagram’s Reels or YouTube’s short videos.
The ban stems from concerns about national security. Lawmakers worry that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on the 170 million Americans who use TikTok. TikTok has denied these assertions, claiming it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and will not do so if asked.
The ban on TikTok highlights the complex relationship between the U.S. and China, as well as the ongoing debate about the role of technology in national security.
