TikTok will be banned in the USA despite its widespread use because it “operates as a sophisticated monitoring tool.”
TikTok is one of the most liked social networking apps, receiving 4.4 out of 5 stars from over 54 million users on the Google Play Store.
Former USA President Donald Trump together with his administration in late 2020 declared that they would be banning TikTok due to security threats. However, the move did not materialize.
Down the road, with a new President and administration in place, the USA has come to the realization that TikTok has to be banned. The belief that the Chinese government is using the app to spy on Americans is more real than ever.
Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) Commissioner, Brendan Carr, warned that TikTok “ operates as a sophisticated surveillance tool “ adding that a ban on the app would be a “ natural step in our efforts to secure communications network .”
Last week the US banned TikTok on all House ( The US House of Representatives ) managed devices. The move by US state governments is based on fears that Tik Tok could collect data thus allowing the Chinese government to spy on Americans. More efforts are being made to ensure that the app is banned nationwide.
Banning TikTok is Not a New Thing…
A ban on Tik Tok is not a new thing to the short-form video hosting service owned by Chinese Company Bytedance. A number of countries have come up with bans on the app for almost similar reasons.
TikTok is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese Company Bytedance.
India is notable for banning Tik Tok both in 2019 and 2020. By then the app boosted a mouth-watering number of over 200 million monthly active users in India. Issues cited for the ban were: “ showing inappropriate content “, “ encouraging pornography “ and “protecting the data and privacy of its 1.3 billion citizens.”
Surprisingly, even China itself banned Tik Tok. However, a Chinese version of the same app known as Douyin produced by the same company is being used by the Chinese. This is another reason why Tik Tok is not trusted. Why have the same app in two versions, one for China and the other for the rest of the world?
Earlier last year April 2022, Afghanistan banned TikTok for “ misleading the younger generation”. The Islamic State added that Tik Tok content was not consistent with Islamic laws.
The other countries to have banned Tik Tok include: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Iran, Jordan, Pakistan among others.
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