Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

TikTok: Would the US really ban one of the world's most popular apps?

TikTok: Would the US really ban one of the world's most popular apps?

TikTok is one of the most popular apps in the US, but politicians seem willing to mandate its removal from their citizens' smartphones.
Democrats and Republicans don't agree on much these days, but have joined forces to unveil bipartisan legislation that would ban TikTok across the US.

Representatives on both sides of the political divide in the House of Representatives and Senate have spoken out against what they perceive as a threat to national security.

Those concerns were reflected in a bill unveiled by Republican Senator Marco Rubio, which would block "any social media company in, or under the influence of" China and other hostile foreign countries, including Russia.

It would put TikTok in line for an outright ban, a nuclear option attempted by former president Donald Trump over alleged links to the Chinese government.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance, which is based in Beijing.

But as one of the most popular apps in the US and the world (more than 100 million and one billion users respectively), would politicians really be willing to mandate its removal from their citizens' smartphones?

How would the US enforce a ban?

Under the measure announced by Mr Rubio, President Joe Biden could impose sanctions on TikTok and other social media companies to prevent commercial operations in the US.

With 2022 winding down, the bill likely wouldn't be introduced to Congress until next year, with its prospects in the House of Representatives boosted by Republican gains in November's midterms.

If the House passed the bill, it would then head to the Democrat-controlled Senate.

But Dr Evan Lawrence, senior lecturer in international relations, at the University of Central Lancashire, doubts the legislation would get that far.

"Technically you can [ban TikTok], but realistically it's not all that useful," she told Sky News.

"A lot of times, legislation like this is used as a negotiating tactic - it's not actually meant to really go anywhere, but instead puts it on the media and public radar, so that they have a better negotiating position."

The US government has been in talks with TikTok's parent company about regulation for some time, with a spokesperson saying they were "confident" it can "fully satisfy all reasonable US national security concerns".

What are those 'national security concerns'?

Since the end of the midterms, the anti-TikTok rhetoric has picked up, with FBI director Chris Wray warning that TikTok's US operations raise national security concerns.

Earlier this month, the state of Indiana launched a lawsuit against TikTok, alleging deception of its users about China's access to their data.

And governors in Texas, Maryland, South Dakota, and South Carolina ordered state agencies to ban TikTok on government-issued devices.

Dr Lawrence said regulation on federal devices is "not a bad thing" given concerns around foreign interference in American elections, "but whether you could do that for the public is another question".

Could an old Trump idea make a comeback?

Towards the end of his presidency, Mr Trump suggested that ByteDance sell off its American operations to a US company like Microsoft.

While Mr Biden withdrew his predecessor's order, he demanded a government review of foreign-owned apps, which remains ongoing more than a year later.

Thomas Walters, founder of global influencer agency Billion Dollar Boy, said Mr Trump's proposed sell-off was now "the most likely outcome".

"If this bill gains genuine bilateral support, then something definitely will happen," he told Sky News.

"But an outright ban like they have in India is much more unlikely.

"There's a genuine brand love for TikTok now, it's extremely well-used by younger consumers, and it's pretty well engrained with marketers too."

What has TikTok had to say?

TikTok has continued to dismiss the concerns, insisting its US operation is independent of its parent company and American user data is safe.

A spokesperson described Mr Rubio's legislation as a "politically-motivated ban that will do nothing to advance the national security of the United States".
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
×