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The Chinese-owned social media app TikTok has been under scrutiny since 2020 by the Trump administration.

There is definitely a disconnect between the growing number of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle face in trying to convince the public. And DC is more and more convinced that China could use TikTok as a weapon against the American people. 

On the other hand, there are over 150 million TikTok users in the U.S. And they are outraged that they may lose their favorite app. They just want to be able to keep making and watching short videos, advertise their small businesses, and do make-up tutorials or cooking lessons. 

 Its parent company ByteDance is linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). And authorities fear that the platform may easily be used as a tool for the Chinese government to access US user data. Or even to influence American citizens.

 The Committee on Foreign Investment in the US has demanded that TikTok's Chinese owners sell their stakes or face a possible ban.

 On Thursday TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress on the app's future. Despite assurances that TikTok protects user data and does not share information with Beijing, Congress was still worried about the possible compromise of national security.

Over 30 states around the country and more than a dozen countries worldwide have rolled out TikTok restrictions or bans. Most of them cite the same national security concerns that Congress is talking about now.

White House Bans TikTok in government buildings

 The White House recently gave federal agencies 30 days to remove TikTok from all phones and systems, and many colleges have banned the app, as well. 

Despite ongoing concerns, some experts are doubtful that Congress will pass a bill banning TikTok. Ryan Calo of the University of Washington Law School claims that such a ban could impinge on the free speech rights of TikTok content creators and their audiences. And it might set a bad precedent for the government to force private platforms to block apps.

If the United States were to ban TikTok, users could still install it on their phones through "sideloading" or access it via browsers. 

In order to assure the ban works, the US might also ban US companies from doing business with TikTok. And cut off its infrastructure and advertising business revenues.

 The most extreme step would be a total ban of anyone in the United States from using TikTok. And this would mean the creation of a national firewall. 

The irony is that China uses a similar firewall that allows it to spy on its own citizens and completely censor the internet.

While the Biden administration's approach may be more measured than Trump's, it seems likely that the app will continue to be subject to intense political pressure. And expect some additional restrictions in the coming years.