TikTok has been getting a lot of pressure from the Trump administration, with ongoing threats of a total U.S. ban. But it’s not just the U.S. threatening TikTok bans.
The app’s unprecedented growth in 2020 makes it one of the top apps in the world. But many countries are fearful that TikTok puts too much data in the hands of the Chinese government.
The Chinese-owned app has found more success outside of its homeland than any other Chinese app. But national security worries have many countries scrutinizing TikTok.
India recently blocked TikTok, along with over 100 other Chinese apps. The Modi administration in India cited security concerns, but the ban was also a response to a deadly border conflict with China.
In India, the short video app had more than 118 million downloads in 2020. In the U.S. a total ban would de-platform the more than 100 million users. AppTopia estimates that 50 million users downloaded the app in 2020 alone.
There are ongoing investigations into security issues in Australia, Japan, Pakistan, and Indonesia.
