How might a TikTok ban in the US work?
TikTok is grappling with a ban in the US that is becoming more and more of a reality. You may be wrong if you think that only federal or state devices will be banned from installing apps. It may also be more effective than a legally dubious ban that former President Donald Trump tried to enforce in 2020 but failed.
ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, has received a request from the Biden administration to either sell the app or face a nationwide ban. However, TikTok has yet to say it will sell it. Additionally, TikTok’s CEO claimed that simply banning the app would not address the security concerns of the US. But what would a TikTok ban in the US look like? Will you be able to use the app? These questions are concerning for TikTok users in the US, so let’s explore the answers in today’s post.
Why is the US banning Tiktok?
China has always been a grave concern to the US. Western lawmakers and regulators now worry that TikTok and ByteDance could use sensitive and personal user data for the Chinese government. This personal data can be anything like a user’s location, email ID, or password.
They also pointed to laws that allow the Chinese government to covertly solicit data from Chinese companies and citizens for intelligence-gathering operations. So, in simpler terms, the US has security concerns about vital data transferring through Tiktok.
However, TikTok has long denied such accusations and has tried to distance itself from ByteDance.
How might a TikTok ban in the US work?
If TikTok receives a ban in the US, there are a number of important factors to consider.
We suspect that there will be three ways to make the TikTok ban work all over the US.
- Removal of Tik Tok from all App Stores
An easy and effective way to significantly limit access to TikTok is to forcibly remove the app from major app stores, like Apple Store and Google Play Store. Experts say removing Tiktok will immediately block new users and limit existing ones.
- Access Denial by ISPs
A few experts also have raised concerns that the TikTok ban could take the form of access denials imposed by Internet service providers. It includes companies like Verizon and AT&T provide Internet access to individuals, households, businesses, and other organizations.
- Access Denial of TikTok Servers
As some experts suggest, app bans can also get applied as barriers blocking access to TikTok’s web servers or IP addresses.
In this case, attempts to access the application fails because the user can no longer receive digital content from TikTok.
Final Take
Although the TikTok ban may seem surprising to some people, it’s not the first time. India had previously banned the platform in mid-2020, predicting that it was secretly transferring user data to servers outside India. Nonetheless, we must immediately address TikTok or ByteDance if they are involved in any suspicious data transfers for the safety of all US residents.
