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China-owned TikTok is Chinese surveillance and psyops thinly veiled as a social media platform that FCC Brendan Carr has labeled “China’s digital fentanyl.” It is time for lawmakers to stop ignoring the giant panda in the room and ban the platform from this country before China can do even more damage to America’s youth — and its elections.
TikTok should be banned in the United States. When one looks at the total picture of the damage done in this country by the hyper-popular platform, owned by China’s ByteDance, the question shifts slightly—why wasn’t the platform banned when President Donald Trump proposed the move? The dangers to America’s youth, security, and elections are so great that to not act that this juncture is bordering on national suicide.
The problems TikTok presents can be broken into three broad categories — the danger to teens, the national security threat, and election meddling.
The Danger for Kids and Teens
China is a hostile foreign country that is using TikTok to get U.S. teens to participate in trends that are dangerous and life-threatening.
In September, the FDA warned parents of a deadly new TikTok challenge that involves children cooking chicken in NyQuil, “presumably to eat.” The trend on the China-owned app was just the latest example of a dangerous stunt spread to young Americans.
Another challenge seen on TikTok in 2020 involved urging users to take large doses of the allergy medication Benadryl (diphenhydramine) to induce hallucinations. The challenge resulted in reports of teens being rushed to the hospital, and in some cases, dying.
Last year, school officials spoke out against TikTok’s “bathroom challenge,” which encouraged students to vandalize school restrooms. The challenge, also known as “devious licks,” involved videos depicting vandalism of trophy cases, hallways, and classrooms, as well as theft of fire extinguishers, school signs, and other property.
To add insult to injury, the Chinese app also rewards U.S. users by making them go viral or become “TikTok famous” for behaving foolishly. On one hand, this is accomplished by posting frivolous dance videos, but on the other, it is for popularizing dangerous trends or posting sexual content.
TikTok’s algorithm also makes it easier for teenagers to go viral and gain internet fame when they post sexualized videos. This has also taken a toll on teens’ mental health, according to mental health professionals. And the Chinese company seemingly tailors its algorithms to have different impacts on various communities. For example, a lawsuit filed in July alleges that TikTok pushes especially violent content on black teenagers.
Unlike other social media platforms — such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter — TikTok makes it much easier and faster for teens to obtain what they perceive as “fame” on the app. This fame can come with a terrible price.
The National Security Threat
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, which — under China’s laws — can be forced to hand over the data TikTok has collected on U.
