Will the US ban TikTok?

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you may have seen that the US is trying to shut down TikTok. But what exactly is the danger, and why do they want it to cease operations? You’ll find out shortly.

Ever since TikTok was released, lawmakers and government officials have been skeptical about it. This is because the popular app collects absurd amounts of data, and the app’s country of origin, which all can be a liability.

The main concern that has been looked at by the government is the sheer amount of data that the app collects about its users. TikTok collects data about a user's location, device, browsing and search history, as well as information about their contacts, and personal messages.

This data collection has been stated by TikTok to be in use only to make the app center around specific users and their interests, and while this is partially true, the data is mainly being collected to help the Chinese government.

An NBC report on the issue.

The Chinese government is heavily involved with all businesses that operate inside of China. The Chinese government has a large history of surveillance and censorship, so naturally there are fears that since TikTok is operated in China, it could be used to collect data from countries outside of China.

This is only backed up by the fact that TikTok has been a perpetrator of several data privacy concerns in recent times. In 2019, the app was in conflict with the FTC, or Federal Trade Commission, for violating privacy laws. There have also been instances of the app sharing user data with other companies without any permission from its users. While TikTok has implemented some safety precautions to address these concerns, the fact is that the app has a history of not securely handling user data.

In conclusion, there are several reasons why TikTok could be dangerous, and quite possibly a form of spyware. From its extensive data collection to its ties to the Chinese government and history of mishandling private data, there are valid concerns about the app's commitment to privacy. While TikTok has taken steps to address these concerns, it's up to you, and the government, to decide how this plays out in the coming year.

If you have any comments, questions, or criticisms, feel free to email me.