Although TikTok has had a rapid stratospheric rise in popularity, the social media app’s fall from grace could be even quicker – with a Bipartisan group of US senators planning to ban it within the country. Earlier this week, The White House has now officially backed legislation introduced by a dozen senators, which gives the administration new powers to ban certain foreign-based technologies if they are believed to pose a threat to national security. This would be a serious blow for the Chinese-owned social media app, which currently has over 113 million users within the US, and is used by countless businesses and advertisers for marketing purposes.
The RESTRICT Act
The reason for the potential ban is all down to the newly created RESTRICT Act, formed by a group of senators from both sides of the political spectrum. The RESTRICT act is aimed at mitigating risks of technology from countries deemed to be a threat to the US, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela. In the case that a service has access to personal information from more than a million US users, and is deemed to be threatening, government agencies will be able to take action in how they see fit.
Although TikTok isn’t specifically named within it, the lead sponsor of the bill Sen. Mark Warner has stated his belief that the social media app is a threat to national security in the US. This is down to the potential it may have to enable the spread of harmful influence campaigns in America, and allow possible user data to end up in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.
How Has TikTok Responded?
In a statement released by TikTok, the ByteDance owned company commented that “The TikTok ban is a ban on the export of American culture and values to the billion-plus people who use our service worldwide”. This is not the first time that the platform has come under fire within the US, as negotiations with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) have been continuing for over three years.
Keep Up to Date with Developments
With these ongoing developments, businesses using TikTok for marketing could have their campaigns seriously impacted. Here at CCM, our team of digital marketing specialists are up to date with the latest social media platform news. To enquire about our range of social media marketing services, get in touch with our team today on 01625 453 050, or email info@cobaltcatmedia.com.