How Users Would Respond to a TikTok Ban
By Movieguide® Contributor
With a bill that would effectively ban TikTok now halfway through Congress, experts are weighing in on how users would respond, predicting that they would use a workaround to continue to access the app.
“I think you’ll see a lot of kids learning how to circumvent the restrictions on their phones,” said Cooper Quintin, the senior staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit disputing the bill.
“They’re certainly not going to stop people from using TikTok by banning it. Yeah, you’ll probably cut down on the number of people using it, but that just makes it more exciting,” he continued. “They’re gonna create a whole new generation of hackers.”
In India, for example, the app has been banned since 2020, but videos often proliferate showing consumers how to access TikTok. Several avenues are available for those seeking to circumvent the ban, all of which can be difficult for Apple and Google to stop.
One workaround is to change the country’s app store that users access. By changing their location or visiting a different country and creating a new account, users can access apps not available within their home country.
It is also possible to download the app directly onto phones without going through the App Store or Google Play Store. However, this method comes with a risk of downloading malware along with the app.
Since half of the country uses TikTok frequently, experts believe tens of millions of Americans will pursue these workarounds if the bill banning TikTok passes.
The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act passed through the House earlier this week with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill still needs to pass through the Senate before being sent to the president’s desk.
The bill would allow American leadership to identify technology controlled by opposing governments that pose a significant threat to national security. This technology would then have 180 days to be sold or face a ban within the U.S.
While this bill could have numerous applications, its most pressing use would be against TikTok, which high-ranking officials within the American intelligence community have deemed a major threat to Americans. The primary concerns come from the collection of user data, along with the app being used to push Chinese propaganda.
If the bill passes and is applied to TikTok, it would almost certainly lead to a ban due to the company’s size, making it nearly impossible to sell, especially in such a short window. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has also shown zero indication of wanting to sell the platform.
Movieguide® previously reported:
The House passed a bill Wednesday morning that could effectively ban TikTok in the United States.
The legislation, called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, demands that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, divest the platform. If it doesn’t within 180 days, the app would be banned in American app stores.
CNBC reports that it received bipartisan support, passing with a 352-65 vote.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
