TikTok Is a Huge Threat to Our Democracy and Our Kids. Ban It Now

Negotiations between the Biden Administration and TikTok regarding the company's data security have reportedly been delayed due to national security concerns. But the news begs the question: Why are we negotiating anything regarding TikTok when it presents such a clear national security threat?

Some people have gotten the message loud and clear. The U.S. armed forces prohibited the app on military devices two years ago. More recently, on Dec. 5, South Dakota banned TikTok from state-owned devices. Texas and Maryland followed suit shortly thereafter, and other states are taking similar steps.

As these statewide bans snowball, the federal government should immediately ban the app outright in the United States.

The youth of America are at risk. TikTok, owned by the Chinese conglomerate ByteDance, is closely linked to the Chinese government. China's National Intelligence Law forces all Chinese companies to provide the government with any information it requests, including data on foreign citizens. Large Chinese corporations are also required by law to have "Communist Party cells" inside their organizations to ensure that they adhere to the Chinese Communist Party line.