Tiktok vs. The World: Geopolitical Issues on The Internet

TikTok has had a significant impact globally in terms of social trends, viral challenges and its dominance in the ever growing Attention Economy. It has become a platform for content creators to gain recognition and build communities. While TikTok has gained massive popularity, it also faces competition from other social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube, which also offer video-sharing features.

​But even with significant popularity amongst its peers, TikTok has faced government scrutiny regarding user data privacy and security due to its Chinese ownership. Some countries have raised concerns about the potential misuse of personal data.

Data Drama
The U.S. government has raised concerns about TikTok due to its Chinese ownership and potential national security risks. President Biden signed a law that would ban Chinese-owned TikTok unless it is sold within a year, posing a serious threat to the video-streaming app. More than 30 states, as well as the federal government, have banned TikTok on government-issued devices, and many colleges have blocked it from campus Wi-Fi networks.

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has since been under scrutiny in the U.S. over concerns that TikTok's data could be accessed by the Chinese government. This concern led former President Donald Trump to advocate for banning the platform in the US. Under this legislation Bytedance would be forced to sell TikTok to an American company for the social media platform to remain operating in the United States.
​
Lawmakers and the White House have expressed worries that TikTok's Chinese ownership could pose a national security risk by potentially allowing Beijing to access Americans' data or run disinformation campaigns. This move signifies the U.S. government's mounting concerns about the potential misuse of personal data and the overall impact of a Chinese-owned platform in the country.

Algorithm Accusations
Furthermore, accusations about TikTok's algorithm have been the subject of scrutiny and concern. A BBC report highlighted the significance of TikTok's algorithm in shaping user experiences, with former employees attributing real-life frenzies and riot incidents to the platform's algorithm-driven content recommendations. Similarly, NPR detailed how the recommendations coming from TikTok's powerful algorithm can influence and catalyze certain cultural and social phenomena, reflecting the potential impact of the algorithm on societal dynamics.

With its unfavorable luck, TikTok may have danced their way out of the United States. The next year will be critical for the progress of the TikTok fight across the country and creators whose livelihood depend on its partnerships with the platform will be waiting and hoping for a favorable outcome.

D. Marie Smith is a source for tech learning, reviews and online services. Subscribe to growing tribe to be notified of our new content. Plus sign up for our newsletter to get exclusive details on products, service and more!

​