A new Reuters/Ipsos poll has revealed a growing consensus among Americans that TikTok is being used by China to influence US public view. The survey found that 58 % of respondents think the Chinese government influences American views through the well-known short-video app, whereas only 13 % disagreed.
Amid these issues, the US government is moving closer to potentially banning TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance. The discussion grew even more last week when President Joe Biden passed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US businesses within 270 times or face a ban. This policy addresses the concerns of both parties regarding the app’s ability as a tool for threats to data security and foreign influence.
TikTok said it would not disclose data about its 170 million US users to the Chinese government, denying any promotion or removal of content at Beijing’s request, adding that it had spent more than$ 1.5 billion on data security efforts. TikTok further stated that it would contest any restrictions as a violation of the US Constitution’s free talk provisions, citing recent legal victories when a judge in Montana blocked a state-level ban on the app in response to concerns about free speech.
Despite TikTok’s claims, the ballot indicates that half of the American people surveyed support a restrictions, while 32 % are opposed, and the majority are undecided. Americans over the age of 40 and older have more in favour of a restrictions, compared to about 40 % of younger adults between the ages of 18 and 39.
Moreover, 46 % of respondents also concurred with the view that China uses TikTok for espionage activities on ordinary Americans, a claim repeatedly denied by Beijing.
The phone’s widespread influence in America is obvious, and perhaps Biden’s re-election campaign is using it as a tactical tool to entice voters in the upcoming presidential election. Former president Donald Trump, who owns a rival software, Truth Social, has been divided over the controversy.
As the January 19 date for TikTok’s sales approaches—one time before Biden’s expression was end—the future of the app in the US remains uncertain, with possible legal and political battles ahead.
