Analysis of the Current TikTok Ban Discussion in Congress
As the age of technology progresses in this nation, what seems to be having the most influence is the rise of social media, specifically TikTok. TikTok is a social media platform with a little over 1.5 billion users. The app itself is owned and run by a Chinese company called ByteDance Ltd. Now, the reason why this platform is catching current suspension and worry is because of the country behind it. China. This all boils down to political polarity and national security in the eyes of the United States. Having an item such as TikTok that is easily accessible to millions and even billions of viewers raises concern about control, with the main reason being China and its ownership of the app.
The Biden Administration has gone through trying to ban TikTok with Congress, facing multiple legal battles. The first ban is called the DATA Act, enabling the sanctioning of foreign entities that “influence” China. The second ban is the RESTRICT Act, proposing and granting the Secretary of Commerce the authority to review transactions by certain foreign entities who offer information and communications technologies products or services (ICTS).
Now with these bills, getting TikTok banned seems pretty straightforward. However, imposing these would violate citizens’ first amendment right of free speech. According to California Representative Cathy McMorris, this problem should be overlooked due to the “grave threat of foreign influence.”
Knowing the impact and power that TikTok holds in this generation, do you think it is reasonable for the ban to move forward? And if so, how do you think the government will get by the legal issue of imposing the First Amendment?
Read the RESTRICT Act and the DATA Act to get a full understanding.
