TikTok Ban in the U.S.

I’ve been using TikTok since the pandemic in 2020. It’s been a fun little app for me. It was something to do while everyone was stuck inside and not able to go anywhere. It’s fun to watch silly little videos and educational videos when I’m in bed and can’t sleep. It’s just fun to watch, much like YouTube. 

I think another ban is coming up on April 5th? I think that’s the day. I can’t remember. So I suppose I’ll go back over to RedNote, which is another Chinese-owned app. I wonder why exactly the U.S. government wants to ban TikTok though. Well, I’ve done some reading and read some comments and such on the matter and here’s what I’ve gathered:

The U.S. government claims it wants to ban TikTok because of data privacy and national security, but that’s not the real reason. They claim that the Chinese government could force TikTok to hand over user data, but they don’t give a shit about that. What they really care about is another country influencing public opinion. They want to suppress information that doesn’t align with their own interests.

The U.S. doesn’t want China to have any potential influence over Americans, whether through data collection, algorithimic control of content, or possible political manipulation. The irony, of course, is that Google and Facebook already influence Americans in similar ways, but because they’re American companies, the government is less concerned. It’s less about protecting people from surveillance or manipulation in general and more about who gets to do the influencing.

The U.S. doesn’t want China shaping political opinion, culture, or political discourse in a way that would challenge American geopolitical dominance. If China can control narratives, push propaganda, or even just collect some data, it gives them leverage in a global power struggle. TikTok is one of the few platforms where the U.S. doesn’t have control over the algorithm or data. It’s not about whether TikTok is actually doing anything nefarious. It’s about the potential for China to use it as a tool in the future.

The U.S. government doesn’t want us thinking negatively of them. They don’t want a foreign power controlling a platform that could shape public perception against them. If an app like TikTok starts amplifying anti-government sentiment, exposing U.S. corruption, or promoting alternative ideologies, that’s a threat to America’s control over the narrative.

They don’t mind when American companies do this because those companies can be pressured, regulated, or even use for political purposes. However, when a Chinese-owned platform is involved, they can’t control what’s being shown, what’s being suppressd, or who’s benefiting from it.

America frames it as a national security issue, but at its core, it’s about controlling public perception and limiting competing narratives. The government isn’t trying to protect people from manipulation, they’re trying to make sure they’re the ones doing the manipulating. If this were purely about data privacy, they’d go after Facebook, Google, and other companies that harvest just as much (if not more) user data. Those companies are American though, meaning they can be influenced, lobbied, and used when needed.

In summation, it’s not about our privacy. It’s about the American government controlling the narrative. The American government wants to be the one to shape public perception, not a foreign entity. They justify their actions by calling it “national security,” but at the end of the day it’s about controlling the narrative and making sure people aren’t exposed to ideas or information that could weaken faith in the American system.

They’re not against manipulation. They just want to be the ones doing it.

So, if TikTok goes bye-bye again, be sure to catch me on RedNote where I’ll be chilling with the communists. Join me, comrades!