What happens to the TikTok ban?

with the USA With the TikTok ban approaching, it could appear to be the sport is over for the favored video-sharing app that has taken the world by storm in recent times and reshaped each side of tradition within the course of.

There’s a whole lot of uncertainty proper now, however TikTok’s destiny is much from sure. As we spoke, we answered some widespread questions on a fancy, complicated and altering scenario.

What occurred in congress?

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified earlier than Congress final week, enduring 5 hours of intense questioning from lawmakers over considerations that China may use the app to hazard US nationwide safety. Chinese language tech large ByteDance, which owns TikTok, units it aside from different main US-based social media firms.

“Let me be clear: ByteDance isn’t an agent of China or some other nation,” Chew mentioned in his keynote, whereas TikTok’s CEO tries to reassure lawmakers.

Nationwide safety considerations had been simply one of many considerations that representatives expressed about TikTok. Members of the Home Power and Commerce Committee have raised purple flags on points starting from the app’s consuming dysfunction content material and viral challenges to its flimsy instruments designed to stop social media dependancy amongst teenagers. Focusing primarily on susceptible underage customers, these considerations are critical, however there are additionally points that TikTok shares with US-based social media firms like Instagram and YouTube.

In some ways, the TikTok listening to is similar to different huge tech CEOs hearings in recent times. Lawmakers typically spent their time standing and posing for audio quotes, gathering little new details about TikTok, ByteDance, or its operations within the course of. Finally, the trial is unlikely to find out TikTok’s destiny within the nation, but it surely does function a helpful barometer for the headwinds the corporate is dealing with in its largest market.

Why ban TikTok?

The trouble to ban TikTok within the US started throughout the Trump administration, however lastly, Biden took the White Home flag.