These days, it’s rare to find a friend, colleague, or family member who doesn’t have TikTok. Released in September 2016 it became and remained the most downloaded app in the United States with over a billion users active each month. So many stand to wonder; why was it banned?
The banning of Tiktok was discussed as far back as the first Trump administration in 2017 — just a year after the app’s conception. The request was brought about by former President Trump who viewed the app as a threat to national security. This concern was brought about by the fact that TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, which allegedly could compromise national security and data privacy.
Despite the ban’s traction, the government presented no evidence to support these claims.
U.S. Senator Tom Cotton generated controversy around the case. During the testimony of the TikTok CEO, Shou Chew, Cotton repeatedly questioned whether Chew was affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party or the country itself. Chew denied these claims, informing the senator that he was Singaporean. Despite this, he was still questioned about the Chinese government, which many Singaporean citizens reported as unprofessional and offensive.
The ban ultimately went through on Jan. 19 — the day before Trump was inaugurated. Biden had previously declared that the handling of the app should be left to Trump, who swore to circumvent the ban. He was successful in this endeavor, as the app was banned for around just 12 hours before users were greeted with a thank you message to President Trump.
President Trump has been largely credited not only by the public but by Chew himself for “saving” TikTok. However, he has only granted a 75-day extension for Chew to find an American buyer. Thus, the future of the app remains gray, as the company has stated repeatedly in the past that they will not sell to Americans.
