TikTok could be banned – What and how a US ban would work?

Almost precisely a year has passed since the last serious threat of a US TikTok ban. This time, a House of Representatives committee unanimously approved a bill to outlaw the widely used social networking app on US soil. With backing from both parties, the measure has a good chance of passing the House, moving on to the Senate, and landing on President Joe Biden’s desk in a matter of weeks.

A complete US ban now appears quite likely. The meaning, mechanism, and consequences of this are much the same as they were when we first reported this story a year ago.

TikTok has been the center of a political maelstrom for the past year, resulting in its prohibition from government devices in the US, the EU, and now the UK. However, the millions of users of the app are concerned about the very real possibility of an outright ban on TikTok in the US.

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For a number of years, TikTok and its parent business, which is domiciled in China, have been the subject of an investigation by the US government, including the current Biden administration.

In response to claims that it gathers and keeps user data from Americans, the app has made a number of adjustments, including transferring all of its US data to Oracle’s servers. However, this hasn’t allayed American worries that the software may endanger national security. Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, testified before Congress last year to defend the app.

What does all of this mean for the 150 million US users of TikTok among its hundreds of millions of global users? Everything you need to know about the possibility of a US ban on TikTok is provided here.

WHY MAYBE THE TIKTOK BAN IS HAPPENING?

The primary charge motivating the proposed US ban on TikTok is that the software endangers national security. But hold on, aren’t the majority of TikTok videos just pointless TV show snippets and video game walkthroughs?

Yes, but the real issue isn’t so much the content as it is what TikTok may be purportedly doing with the underlying information it collects about you, including your location and the people you connect with in addition to your likes and comments.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, for instance, voiced “extreme” alarm in February about China’s ability to “weaponize” data collected from TikTok’s US-based admirers.

This is because ByteDance, a Chinese corporation that owns TikTok, is legally permitted by Chinese law to compel any business to turn over any data that is stored on its servers.

What Personal Information Does TikTok Collect?

• Text, photos, and videos on your clipboard; your name, age; username; email; password; phone number; location; and the content of messages, as well as when and by whom they are sent, received, and read.
• Your IP address, cell provider, time zone preferences, device type, and operating system details regarding pictures, sounds, and videos objects and scenery that show up in your films, such as landmarks, stores, or other interesting locations; biometric identifiers, including voiceprints and facial prints (this information helps TikTok tailor political messages, videos, and advertisements depending on your habits and interests).
• Cookies that gather, quantify, and examine the most popular pages that users visit as well as their interactions with content.

WHAT IF A TIKTOK BANNED?

Although President Biden subsequently overturned this restriction last year, a federal judge’s decision to prohibit it initially gave us a preview of what can occur if TikTok’s owners continue to hold onto their ownership of the app.

Future upgrades will not be available to US consumers if they are unable to download TikTok through the iOS or Android app stores. And eventually, this would probably cause the app to stop functioning on their cellphones.

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The US government could also be able to block access to TikTok by figuring out your IP address and blocking access to the app’s online version. Though there could be workarounds, it’s unclear if that’s in the cards at this point.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET OVER A POSSIBLE TIKTOK BANNING?

Although TikTok’s removal from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store would be a significant obstacle to the app’s use in the US, there could be possible solutions.

Changing your location (as far as your ISP is concerned) with one of the best mobile VPNs is the most obvious way to do it. The approach may be effective even if it would need a monthly fee if you select a server located in a nation where TikTok isn’t prohibited.