Do you remember hearing all over the news and on social media that TikTok might be banned in the United States? Then you saw the clips from the hearing that showed videos of Congress asking if TikTok had access to Wi-Fi and if China controlled the app.
You may wonder if TikTok is getting banned. Even if they passed the RESTRICT Act, it would not just make TikTok disappear. That is because the RESTRICT act gives Congress the right to ban any app from any country that they see as a threat to the American people. If they pass the RESTRICT Act, then they can pass the bill that bans TikTok. So, you might wonder if both bills will pass. The odds of Congress passing the TikTok ban bill and RESTRICT act is slim for many reasons.
Maybe if Congress brings up both bills before the end of next year, then yes, TikTok will be gone. One of the Republican presidential candidates for 2024, Vivek Ramaswamy has taken the side of banning TikTok. However, as Congress members were seen as old and out of touch during the hearing, they may not want to bring attention to the bill.
Only twelve states in the United States have no restrictions on TikTok. No state has a ban on personal devices. It is not as easy to ban on personal devices because the state does not own those devices and the devices do not have any information that is about the government.
TikTok proposed a plan called Project Texas. Project Texas would move all data into the United States using servers run by a server hosting company called oracle. This would make the fears of China spying on Americans unjustified. Some people speculate that Congress is trying to show that they are tough on China.
The incident with China and the balloon in February 2023 made Congress care more about privacy. They also wanted to make sure China knew that they were going to be focusing on their actions and all companies that run there. The attempted banning of WeChat (another app that’s company is based in China) raises the following question: Is Congress going to ban any app from China or any foreign country because they claim it is a threat to national security?
So, for now, there is no need to worry about TikTok disappearing from your phone. However, do not simply assume that TikTok is safe because they have a plan in place. It is always a good idea to stay informed about what Congress is up to, even if you are young, because you never know when they might decide to ban your favorite app.
