The Evolution of TikTok in American Politics
Four years prior, former President Donald J. Trump firmly condemned TikTok, a popular video-sharing platform owned by a Chinese company, labeling it a significant threat to the national security of the United States. However, in a surprising turn of events this week, as Mr. Trump gears up for a potential return to the White House, he has rebranded the app as a “unique medium for freedom of expression.”
This statement was made in a legal brief he submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday, urging the justices to postpone a forthcoming ban on TikTok that is scheduled to be implemented next month. He expressed his intention to “negotiate a resolution” aimed at preserving the platform for its millions of users.
A piece of legislation that garnered considerable bipartisan support and received President Biden’s signature in April mandates that ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, divest the app to a non-Chinese entity or face a complete ban within the United States. This law arises from concerns regarding the app’s potential risks to both national security and freedom of speech. The Supreme Court is currently deliberating on the company’s legal challenge against this law.
TikTok has argued that the legislation infringes upon the First Amendment rights of its users. Furthermore, it highlights that its corporate parent is predominantly owned by global investors, not directly by the Chinese government.
On the other hand, the Biden administration, along with several members of Congress, assert that the Chinese ownership of TikTok poses significant security risks due to the extensive user tracking and data collection practices it employs. They also express concerns over the possibility that Beijing could exploit the app as a tool for disseminating propaganda.
This position aligns with Mr. Trump’s earlier stance, prior to his rise as a political figure on TikTok, where he has since amassed over 14.7 million followers. The transformation of his view on the app illustrates the complex interplay between politics and social media in today’s digital age.
