Should TikTok Be Banned in the US Over National Security Concerns?

Following reports detailing data security concerns involving the social media app TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, the app is facing renewed calls for investigation and a possible ban in the United States. A number of states have banned the app from state-owned devices, and in November, the commissioner of the FCC called for a full ban.

From the Left: Voices on the left have focused both on the security concerns and the potential harm caused by the app. Mark Weinstein outlined the influence and authority the Chinese Communist Party wields over the app, writing, “China recognizes TikTok's ability to influence children's development, and wields it as a weapon of manipulation.” An analysis in The Week (Lean Left) outlined a previous unsuccessful attempt by former president Donald Trump to ban the app, determining the current effort to be “ultimately unlikely — but not impossible.”

From the Right: Similarly, many on the right have called for the app to be banned. The Editorial Board of the National Review called for a full ban, concluding that “ByteDance’s connections to the Chinese Communist Party … are reason enough to bar TikTok from operating in the U.S.” A writer in Reason (Lean Right Bias) refuted calls for regulation, stating that claims of potential harm caused by the app have “little evidence,” determining, “the idea of algorithms intentionally funneling inappropriate content to unsuspecting users not only defies logic but is antithetical to how a social media platform keeps users.”