A bill introduced by the House of Representatives in the United States gives TikTok two options: find a buyer for the hugely popular video app or risk having it banned nationwide[1].
This bill puts other Chinese apps at risk, like WeChat,Temu, AliExpress, and Honkai Star Rail.
In the United States, TikTok boasts over 150 million monthly active users as of October 2023. This is an incredible user base that represents almost half of the US population! Furthermore, Americans who are 18 years of age and older and use TikTok spend an estimated 55.8 minutes using the app every day[6][7].
The bill needs to pass the Senate, where its fate is still up in the air, before President Biden will sign it into law[2]. With the passage of this law, a chamber of Congress will have enacted legislation with the potential to shut down a social media platform for the first time, raising worries about millions of American users’ free speech rights[2].
Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know about the House bill:
1. Purpose: The measure gives ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, based in China, six months to find a buyer. TikTok will become illegal for app stores and web hosting providers to offer if the company is unable to sell the app within that timeframe, as long as it is still controlled by a “foreign adversary.” TikTok would have to be taken down from the app stores by Apple and Google as a result. Furthermore, internet service providers would have to prevent access to TikTok through browsers in the United States[3].
2. User Impact: Users are unlikely to notice any changes in the near future. For the millions of Americans who use it, the app will function as usual. It might be difficult to access the app, though, if TikTok is banned in the United States, though there may be solutions. Existing users won’t lose access right away, but the app will soon become sluggish, unreliable, and challenging to use if software upgrades aren’t downloaded[4].
3. Wider Consequences: Should this measure become law, it might also have an effect on other Chinese apps. Similar restrictions may apply to apps like WeChat, retail apps like Temu and AliExpress, and even well-known mobile games like Honkai: Star Rail if they are owned by foreign hostile enterprises[5].
How is the ban on TikToke affecting other Chinese apps?
There could be significant ramifications for other Chinese apps from the planned ban on TikTok in the US. Now let’s examine how this prohibition might affect the larger picture.
1. WeChat: There may be a threat to the multipurpose program, WeChat, which is extensively used in China for social networking, payments, and messaging. WeChat may also be scrutinized if TikTok is banned because of its Chinese ownership and possible security risks[8].
2. Temu and AliExpress: Alibaba Group owns both of these well-known shopping apps, so there might be more inspection. The TikTok ban might be a precursor of a more general campaign against Chinese-owned media companies, which would include e-commerce apps as well[8].
3. Honkai: Star Rail: MiHoYo is the developer of this popular smartphone game. Should the TikTok ban become a precedent, more attention may be paid to other Chinese gaming apps[8].
4. Wider Consequences: The proposed TikTok ban may have a knock-on impact that results in stricter rules for other Chinese apps that are available in the United States. TikTok may not be the only platform where data privacy, national security, and possible foreign influence are prioritized[8].
Which other countries have banned TikTok?
TikTok has been outlawed in whole or in part in a number of nations, with justifications including content control, cybersecurity, and privacy issues.
The following nations have imposed restrictions on TikTok:
1. Australia: On April 4, Australia banned TikTok from all federal government-owned devices due to security concerns raised by the Department of Home Affairs.
2. Afghanistan: The Taliban banned TikTok in April 2022, citing that the platform’s content was not consistent with Islamic laws.
3. Belgium: Citing concerns about cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation, Belgium temporarily prohibited TikTok from being used on devices that it owned or funded. A six-month ban was declared by Prime Minister Alexander de Croo in response to alerts from the nation’s cybersecurity center and state security service.
4. Canada: TikTok is not allowed to be used on government-issued smartphones in Canada, since the government considers the app to be a “unacceptable” risk to security and privacy. Additionally, employees won’t be allowed to download the app in the future.
5. Denmark: Citing “weighty security considerations” and a “very limited work-related need to use the app,” the Danish Defense Ministry forbade its staff members from using TikTok on their work phones.
6. India: In June 2020, India became the first country to ban TikTok and over 50 other Chinese apps, citing national security concerns. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (Meity) order stated that the apps were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public order.
7. Nepal: The Dutch government has limited the use of TikTok on government-issued devices because of security and privacy issues. They also enforced a ban on the app, citing concerns about the program’s influence on adolescents and potential misuse.
8. The Netherlands: Because of security and privacy concerns, the Dutch government has limited the use of TikTok on smartphones provided by the government.
This situation is still evolving, and the fate of TikTok and other Chinese apps remains uncertain. The tech landscape may witness significant shifts as policymakers grapple with balancing security concerns and user access to popular platforms.
