The US government may ban the widely used social media app TikTok, as it poses a national security threat.
After Biden approved the ban of TikTok on all government-owned devices, almost 24 states went forward to ban the app for everyone, as the app poses a threat to national security by breaching the personal information of millions of Americans who use it.
The whole conversation about banning TikTok has been happening for some time in the US. But despite the possible security threats, members of Gen Z are still using the app for entertainment purposes. Many individuals are also questioning if it is even right to ban TikTok.
Milton Mueller, a Georgia Institute of Technology professor and co-founder of the Internet Governance Project, said “This is the U.S. adopting a Chinese attitude toward the internet: We’re going to block things we don’t want you to see because everything’s a national security threat.”
She further added, “It’s a dangerous attitude — not just for American values of free expression but for this whole idea of an open and interconnected internet.” Her statement is quite thought-provoking, especially because millions of Americans are using TikTok.
More about the US ban on TikTok
TikTok is usually only considered to be a platform, where people try out new dance challenges and face filters. However, if you follow niche content then you can even gain many uses out of the app. TikTok has content in a variety of niches like beauty, fashion, cars, travel, and education.
An associate professor at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama uses TikTok videos as an educational tool for her cultural studies students. She said that she often starts her lectures with informative TikTok videos by creators whose point of view on philosophical theories seems to resonate more with her students.
This shows that TikTok is more than just an entertainment site. However, the current conversation around banning it is quite strong and the atmosphere does not seem to be in favor of the app.
