On Wednesday March 13th, the US House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that could ultimately lead to the banning of TikTok across US devices. The H.R. 7521 Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act was overwhelmingly passed by a 352-65 margin vote due to national security concerns. Supporters of the bill insist it is not a full ban and is only meant to apply pressure for ByteDance, the Chinese-owned parent company, to divest or sell the rights to a company the US deems not controlled by a foreign adversary or else face a ban on US devices.
While Congress emphasizes the bill was written for the sole purpose of national security concerns, I can’t help but wonder what other agenda the US government seems to be on.
If it was truly about threats to national security, wouldn’t it be fair to target other social media apps as well; including Facebook — which has had a history of user data leaks in the past — and not just singling out TikTok?
Additionally, I find it rather concerning how quickly this bill was able to pass when there are more pressing matters at hand. The urgency to ban Tik Tok is extremely questionable when other national issues — such as lowering the costs of healthcare, childcare, and housing — are essential to live comfortably in this country. And what about stricter gun laws? Or matters of funding other countries to commit war crimes?
Don’t get me wrong, banning an app like TikTok sounds like it could be beneficial as it is an easy app to get lost in. I’m sure we all could use a break from mindless scrolling. I’ve found myself sitting for hours at times, getting carried away by ASMR compilations and various morning routines.
However, I’ve also found it as a way to stay informed on numerous current events. In fact, many of TikTok’s users, mostly made up of Millenials and Gen Z, find it an easier source to gather their news.
Regardless if TikTok gets banned or bought by another company the US approves of, I find it concerning that Congress wants to limit what users are being exposed to.Why take this much effort to shut down an app that people are using to keep in the loop, especially on current events? It seems they are worried about the sway of public opinion and how much more of their faults are unveiled.
The thought of TikTok being bought out by a company the US feels comfortable with is unsettling. In this case, content will be filtered through the American lens exclusively, which as some of us know, is already biased and money-driven. META is notorious for shadow-banning content that doesn’t align with the facade of freedom and democracy America puts on. Media from the West has already been scrutinized for pushing a biased narrative.
I worry that US citizens’ civil liberties are under attack as a violation of freedom of speech. With an increase in tensions overseas and growing numbers of organizations against the nation’s established systems, the government is fearful of the newer generation’s ability to mobilize and seek unbiased truth.
While it seems likely the bill will be passed by the Senate and has already gotten the approval of President Biden, I urge the public to seek other reliable sources for their daily news and information.
While TikTok has been a primary news source for most of its users, especially in the newer generations, the pressure to ban the app can be used as a wake-up call to stay up to date with current events, to seek information from as many sources as possible to rule out any agenda-driven narratives, and ultimately, to question everything.