NEW DELHI: A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll has highlighted a growing perception among Americans that TikTok is being used by China to manipulate US public opinion. According to the poll, 58% of respondents believe that the Chinese government uses the popular short-video app to influence American views, while only 13% disagreed with this assertion.
Amid these concerns, the US government is moving closer to possibly banning TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance.The debate intensified last week when President Joe Biden signed a law mandating ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations within 270 days or face a prohibition. This legislation reflects bipartisan apprehension about the app’s potential as a vehicle for foreign influence and data security threats.
“TikTok has spent more than $1.5 billion on data security efforts and would not share data on its 170 million US users with the Chinese government,” the company said, denying any promotion or removal of content at Beijing’s request. TikTok further declared its intention to challenge any ban as a breach of free speech rights under the US Constitution, noting past legal successes where a judge in Montana blocked a state-level ban on the app citing free speech concerns.
Despite TikTok’s assurances, the poll indicates that half of the American adults surveyed support a ban, while 32% are opposed, and the remainder are undecided. The support for a ban is stronger among Americans aged 40 and older, with about 60% in favor, compared to roughly 40% of younger adults aged between 18 and 39.
Moreover, 46% of respondents also concurred with the view that China uses TikTok for espionage activities on ordinary Americans, a claim repeatedly denied by Beijing.
The app’s pervasive influence in America is evident, with even Biden’s re-election campaign utilizing it as a strategic tool to engage voters for the upcoming presidential election. The issue has created a split among political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who criticized the potential ban despite owning a competing platform, Truth Social.
As the January 19 deadline for TikTok’s sale approaches—one day before Biden’s term could end—the future of the app in the US remains uncertain, with potential legal and political battles ahead.
Amid these concerns, the US government is moving closer to possibly banning TikTok, which is owned by China’s ByteDance.The debate intensified last week when President Joe Biden signed a law mandating ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations within 270 days or face a prohibition. This legislation reflects bipartisan apprehension about the app’s potential as a vehicle for foreign influence and data security threats.
“TikTok has spent more than $1.5 billion on data security efforts and would not share data on its 170 million US users with the Chinese government,” the company said, denying any promotion or removal of content at Beijing’s request. TikTok further declared its intention to challenge any ban as a breach of free speech rights under the US Constitution, noting past legal successes where a judge in Montana blocked a state-level ban on the app citing free speech concerns.
Despite TikTok’s assurances, the poll indicates that half of the American adults surveyed support a ban, while 32% are opposed, and the remainder are undecided. The support for a ban is stronger among Americans aged 40 and older, with about 60% in favor, compared to roughly 40% of younger adults aged between 18 and 39.
Moreover, 46% of respondents also concurred with the view that China uses TikTok for espionage activities on ordinary Americans, a claim repeatedly denied by Beijing.
The app’s pervasive influence in America is evident, with even Biden’s re-election campaign utilizing it as a strategic tool to engage voters for the upcoming presidential election. The issue has created a split among political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who criticized the potential ban despite owning a competing platform, Truth Social.
As the January 19 deadline for TikTok’s sale approaches—one day before Biden’s term could end—the future of the app in the US remains uncertain, with potential legal and political battles ahead.
