Source: NurPhoto / Getty / TikTok
TikTok’s run in the US over? The social media platform is trying its best to remain on smartphones in the States, but the US Government is working really hard to end its stranglehold on social media content creators.
Spotted on The Verge, TikTok is relying on its users to contact their local congress members as a bill calling for the app’s ban gains support in Congress.
The social media platform sent out a push notification warning users about the ban, claiming the government is trying to strip their constitutional rights from them.
Per The Verge:
TikTok sent users in the US a push notification on Wednesday, warning that “Congress is planning a total ban of TikTok” that would “[strip] 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression.”
The page says that a ban would “damage millions of businesses, destroy the livelihoods of countless creators across the country, and deny artists an audience.” The alert includes a way for users to find their representative and call their office.
The notification comes shortly after the White House expressed support for a bipartisan bill directed at TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.
The bill — called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act — is in response to the perceived national security risks of TikTok, particularly around how the company collects user data.
The bill would require that TikTok break off from ByteDance or risk being removed from app stores in the US.
The Irony
The White House’s support for the bill is ironic due to President Biden’s presence on the platform under the handle @BidenHQ.
@bidenhq lol hey guys
Congress has been trying for years to ban the app, with some states successfully banning the app from government devices, and Montana became the first state to ban it successfully.
A judge put a halt on the ban, which is the subject of numerous court challenges. If the government is successful in passing the ban, the American Civil Liberties Union is already pointing out that it will be a violation of the First Amendment.
TikTok has been having a rough year, with UMG (Universal Music Group) pulling music off the platform after both entities did not extend their licensing agreement.
It sounds like TikTok is in danger. There’s always Instagram Reels. Just saying.