WASHINGTON D.C. — It’s one of the most popular social media apps. Many know TikTok for its viral challenges, dances, entertainment, news and some even use it as a source of income.
Today, lawmakers are expected to decide whether to ban TikTok in the US if its parent company doesn’t sell the app.
Can you Imagine a world without TikTok? Some have said it’s hard to grasp.
“I don't like it because I use TikTok a lot, so it would affect me,” one woman said.
“Well, I think I've been on it the longest, so it really knows what to send my way,” said another user. “I think because of that, it just kind of always gives me content that I appreciate.”
In this technology-driven world, with news, entertainment and really whatever else you want in the palm of your hand, what would it mean to ban one of the most popular sources of that content?
“I think that's insane. What I have seen of the hearing already, the people in charge of this shouldn't even be in charge of it,” one woman said.
"We know that TikTok is also a space for representation. And banning TikTok also means taking away a voice and a platform for communities of color and queer creators who have made TikTok their home,” said Democrat US Representative Robert Garcia from California.
But backers of a bill lawmakers in the House will vote on Wednesday said the goal isn’t to ban the app, it’s to encourage its parent company Bytedance to sell it. They ultimately want to separate the app from the Chinese government, which some lawmakers say could demand access to the data and TikTok’s US consumers anytime it wants.
But, if that doesn't happen—the next step would be to ban it.
“That will make for a better user experience,” said Republican US representative Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin. “People won't have to worry about manipulation of algorithms, they won't have to worry about a hostile foreign adversary potentially manipulating the news that Americans consume.”
Last week, the app sent a push alert to users which instructed them to call their US lawmakers and oppose the bill.
"TikTok actually put up a notice where they blocked an individual to actually get on TikTok unless you called your member of Congress and told them not to vote for this legislation,” said Republican US Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers from Washington, and the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “But that's just an example of how they can manipulate data and influence Americans for their agenda."
Even if the bill passes through the House on Wednesday, it will still need to go through the Senate. If placed on President Joe Biden’s desk, he has said he will sign it. ByteDance would then have six months to sell TikTok before a ban would go into effect.
