The US-China TikTok war
the united states is facing intense competition from china across various industries, including the automotive sector where chinese production now nearly triples that of the us. this competition extends across tens of thousands of industries, including advanced sectors such as memory chips, next-generation internet technologies, and huawei’s innovations.
one notable example is tiktok, originally recognized as a platform for short video clips. since its launch in 2016, tiktok has garnered widespread popularity due to its high-quality content, captivating sound effects, and addictive nature.
it has emerged as a significant source of entertainment and revenue for advertisers, with 36% of its user base aged between 18 and 24, and children spending an average of 75 minutes daily on the platform. in february alone, the app recorded over 4.7 billion downloads, and its revenues for 2023 exceeded $16 billion.
tiktok, like many other social media platforms, has been under scrutiny for its handling of user data, particularly given its chinese ownership. concerns regarding the potential misuse of private information have led several countries, including india, bangladesh, and indonesia, to ban its use.
in july 2020, then-us president donald trump intensified the pressure on tiktok, citing national security concerns. he threatened to ban the app from the united states over fears that the chinese government could exploit user data for espionage purposes. trump demanded that tiktok be sold to american interests to mitigate this perceived threat.
despite efforts by american investors to acquire the company, all attempts were unsuccessful. tiktok now faces an uncertain future in the us and the european union. legislative attempts to ban its use have faltered due to its popularity and the lobbying efforts of its parent company, bytedance, which boasts a market capitalization of $120 billion.
the gravest accusations against tiktok revolve around the potential for the chinese government to access american user data and influence users through the platform’s algorithm, particularly the “for you” function. this algorithm remains opaque to americans and could potentially be exploited for political messaging or interference in us elections.
following the recent approval by a significant majority in the us house of representatives, a draft law aimed at banning the social media application “tiktok” has gained momentum.
the proposed legislation stipulates that tiktok must be separated from its chinese parent company within 180 days. failure to comply with this requirement would result in tiktok being banned from american app stores, and web hosting services in the united states would be instructed to block access to the platform.
however, the fate of this legislation remains uncertain as it heads to the senate for further consideration. if passed into law, it would mark a significant development in the ongoing debate surrounding tiktok’s ownership and its potential implications for national security.
