TikTok: Swimming against the tide

Sonny Aragba-Akpore contends that the popular social media platform, TikTok, is under threat.

As TikTok appears to be swimming against the tide in the United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere, content creators are worried. They are worried because their entire business is dependent on TikTok and whatever affects it affects them.

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The troubled waters in the US started when ByteDance of Beijing, China, owners of TikTok was asked to divest, dilute its shareholding or risk being banned in order to protect National Security.

The US thinks that sensitive information on Tik Tok may get to the wrong places, a veiled reference to China, thus rekindling the Cold War and no love lost relationship between the USA and China.

The video-sharing app is being accused of posing a national security risk through data gathered from millions of users in the US.

But the company vehemently denies this saying a forced sale would not change its data flows or access.

Even though the White House has not specifically commented on the ban, there are strong indications that the order to sell Tik Tok shares is a subtle way of banning especially if ByteDance does not respond accordingly.

For years ,American officials have raised concerns that data from the popular app could fall into the hands of the Chinese government.

On March 22,2023 I wrote about the threat of the ban .”The carefully choreographed bans were announced by both countries (USA and UK) mid March 2023” adding “If the bans are sustained, the over 170m users in the USA may be reduced very significantly even though the American ban is presently restricted to government devices.” The UK has over 20 million users. Both countries are among the over 150 countries where the App is in use. Their numbers are also part of the over one billion people that are on Tik Tok globally.

The US government says TikTok should be sold or else face a possible ban in the country. ”Given the potentially sensitive nature of information which is stored on government devices, government policy on the management of third party applications will be strengthened and a precautionary ban on TikTok on government devices is being introduced.

Currently there is limited use of TikTok within government and limited need for government staff to use the app on work devices. The Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS), which oversees national security risks, unanimously recommended ByteDance divest from TikTok.

There are visible worries all over the world now as ByteDance goes to court to challenge the American ban.

“If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn’t solve the problem,” TikTok spokesperson Maureen Shanahan said in a statement. “A change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access. The best way to address concerns about national security is with the transparent, US-based protection of US user data and systems, with robust third-party monitoring, vetting, and verification, which we are already implementing.”

TikTok and ByteDance are in court to challenge the US position and the lawsuit states, “For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban,” potentially silencing millions of users worldwide. ByteDance has no plans to sell TikTok, leaving the lawsuit as its only recourse to avoid a ban.

Apart from the USA and UK, the ban decision is in line with similar restrictions brought in by key international partners, including Canadian governments, and the European Commission.

As things are today, the ban in the US and UK may spread to other countries as allegiances may come to play after all, according to agency reports.

Specifically, the Chinese App may reactivate the ‘Cold War’ era especially going by the raging Russian/Ukraine war for which global communities now foist alliances against the war.

There are doubts about potential buyers for TikTok, even if ByteDance agreed to sell. Major tech companies like Meta and Google may face antitrust barriers, and others might not afford the App, which has about 170 million U.S. users.

TikTok’s legal challenges began under former President Donald Trump, whose administration attempted to ban the App, a move blocked by a federal judge citing likely overstated reasons and free speech concerns. Biden’s new effort aims to address similar legal challenges, with experts suggesting the Supreme Court might prioritize national security over free speech protections.

The Justice Department has responded to TikTok’s lawsuit challenging a law that would require the app to be sold or face a ban in the United States. TikTok’s suit, filed in a federal court in Washington, argues that the law infringes on First Amendment rights to free speech.

The U.S. government counters that the law addresses national security issues rather than speech and that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, cannot claim First Amendment protections. The filing outlines concerns that ByteDance could comply with Chinese government demands for user data or be pressured to censor or promote content. A senior Justice Department official explained, “The goal of this law is to ensure that everyone can use the platform safely, without their data being directed or censored by the Chinese government.”

The response argues that the focus on TikTok’s foreign ownership places the law outside First Amendment concerns. U.S. intelligence agencies worry that China might “weaponize” mobile apps, with officials citing attempts by China to collect data on Americans through cyber activities, data brokers, and AI models.

TikTok counters the USA position saying that the forced divestiture is “simply not possible” within the timeline required. The law, signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year, sets a deadline of mid-January 2025 for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a U.S. ban. The White House may extend the deadline by 90 days.

If TikTok’s lawsuit doesn’t succeed, the law could force a shutdown by January 19, 2025, potentially silencing users who rely on the platform for unique communication. The Justice Department views the statute as a significant shift from previous arguments, potentially influencing future legal battles.

When it started in 2018,It was a tale of how one app under two names became one of the fastest-growing social networks of all time, TikTok (for global audiences), and Douyin (for China).

Now, in 2024, TikTok’s journey from a burgeoning app to a social media titan is nothing short of remarkable. Surpassing one billion monthly active users worldwide, it remains one of the most popular and engaging social networks.

It took Facebook and Instagram almost a decade to get a user base that size; it seems TikTok knows the social media growth playbook. As TikTok cements its role as a discovery platform, understanding its SEO becomes increasingly important.

TikTok has 1.04 billion monthly active users worldwide. In the US, 170 million people use TikTok. TikTok’s US revenue reached $16 billion in 2023 and US adult users spend an average of 53.8 minutes per day on TikTok. In Q1 2024, TikTok was downloaded 137 million times.

According to eMarketer, out of 3.96 billion monthly active social media users worldwide, 26.26% use TikTok at least once a month. Out of 5.4 billion internet users worldwide, 19.26% are monthly active TikTok users. Globally, the average time spent on TikTok was 95 minutes per day, more than any other social network.