“TikTok promised to store US data on servers located outside of China. Congressmen and security personnel in the US were still concerned about backdoors, which is one of the reasons the US Federal Trade Commission decided to ban Huawei-made goods two years ago.”
Image: More than 30 states are banning the TikTok app.
TikTok is a corporate and geopolitical megatrend. President Joe Biden approved a measure banning the hugely popular app in nine months if ByteDance, its Chinese owner, does not transfer it to a non-Chinese firm.
What Are the Bans All About?
These limitations are there to stop state government organizations, contractors, and employees from using TikTok on government-provided devices. It’s crucial to remember that personal devices are not subject to these limitations. This implies that while state workers and contractors are not allowed to use the application on state-issued devices for work-related reasons, they are still authorized to use the software on their own smartphones or tablets.
TIkTok calls the legislation ‘political theatre’ and it’s definitely right: politics is always theatrical, and attacking China is one of the most popular plays. No other topic can unify the main US parties. However, the hubris in the span of weeks and months preceding the bill’s approval shows that its leadership misunderstands America and Americans.
US politicians are less likely to regulate business than their counterparts abroad, and many opposed the compelled sale of TikTok for concerns of corruption, business and investor trust, and free expression. Most believe that regulation should meet the high public interest standard.
ByteDance Overview
Image: ByteDance Company headquarters
ByteDance is a well-known international technology firm with its headquarters located in Beijing, China. Zhang Yiming founded it in 2012, and it is renowned for its innovative use of artificial intelligence. Its most well-known offering is the social media app TikTok, which lets users make and share short films. TikTok is a worldwide success story because of its sophisticated recommendation algorithms, which tailor content for consumers.
Apart from TikTok, ByteDance also runs Douyin, the Chinese version of the app, and has ventured into other areas, including corporate software and educational technology. The business has become a major force in the digital sector because of its quick expansion and technical innovations, yet it nevertheless comes under fire for security and privacy issues pertaining to data.
Why the concern?
Data privacy was the top public-interest issue until a month ago. Questions like who gets to see user data and if it might be misused apply to all big social media networks. Congress has undertaken multiple hearings on the matter over the past decade, typically targeting Meta and Google. Many US politicians believe the Chinese government may be compelled to give up its American users’ data, amplifying these fears. Under 2017 and 2021 rules, all Chinese organizations must help the government with intelligence gathering and counterespionage if requested.
Still, US officials inspecting the company’s technology seemed like a solution. Considering data privacy is an industry worry, they might have capitalized by investing in data protection and supporting independent platform research. It might have met US politicians halfway and addressed the matter proactively, honestly, and collaboratively. The US IT sector may have benefited from them.
What does this mean for civilians?
These state-level prohibitions won’t stop you, as a citizen, from using them on your own devices. That being said, this development is part of a larger trend toward stricter laws for digital corporations with global operations. As governments and businesses continue to address concerns about digital security and data privacy, this might entail additional changes and limits in the future.
Instead, they aggressively engaged costly lobbyists and even mobilized its young American customers to phone their lawmakers in Congress, a disastrous mistake. Pop-up ads advised users to ‘Let Lawmakers know what they represents for you and persuade them to vote NO.’ Certain congressional offices got over 1,000 calls every day.
Given Uber’s success in mobilizing people to campaign against laws it disliked, this may have looked like a smart tactic. TikTok neglected a key difference: Uber is American. TikTok exacerbated its condition by interfering in US politics, presenting a second big danger to the public.
Over the last decade, everyday Americans and policymakers have become worried about social media’s disproportionate impact on users’ ideas, behaviors, and voting choices and how unfriendly foreign actors may use the main platforms. This danger is real and threatens American democracy. We know Russia and others attempt to meddle in American and European polls.
Impact on Government Operations
The prohibitions require state agencies to modify their technology policies. Workers will have to abide by new rules and may have to use different applications for conversations and duties connected to their jobs. Although these modifications are intended to improve security, there may be brief interruptions or a learning curve for users getting used to new systems as a result of TikTok.
In this scenario, TikTok user mobilization was a warning bell for elected politicians’ personnel. Many who answered the call didn’t know why they were opposed. A foreign-owned corporation shamelessly showed how simple it was to influence people for its own gain, demonstrating that it understood how much political power it could wield. The US suddenly and appropriately focused on Chinese voter manipulation instead of Russian.
The geopolitical atmosphere may have prevented TikTok from avoiding forced-sale laws. What may have been is unknown. Clearly, the company’s aggressive plan failed. The onslaught on American democracy secured congressional majorities for the measure.
The Evolution of Data Privacy Laws in the U.S.
The United States’ data privacy laws have changed significantly over the years in response to rising concerns about the collection, use, and protection of personal data. In the past, state- and sector-specific legislation governing data privacy in the US was sometimes inconsistent and fragmented. Although there were some notable advancements in the security of personal health information with the passage of the historic Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996, there were still few complete data privacy laws.
The emergence of digital technologies and online services in the early 2000s led to demands for more robust privacy measures. 2018 saw the passage of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which was a landmark law that gave customers more control over their personal information and raised the bar for data privacy laws. The CCPA established the right to access, erase, and withdraw consent from the sale of personal data, which sparked state laws of a similar kind.
It is anticipated that data privacy rules will continue to change in the future. There is continuous debate on the possibility of a federal data privacy law, with the goal of establishing a uniform framework for the whole nation. Potential avenues for future improvement might include improving data gathering process transparency, fortifying sensitive data safeguards, and tackling new issues with artificial intelligence and data security. In an increasingly digital world, legislative frameworks must change to provide strong protection of personal data as technology progresses and data practices change.
In Video: User Reaction For the TikTok Ban(source: Inside Edition)
The Future of Social Media Regulation
Future laws are probably going to place a lot more emphasis on user safety, data privacy, and content moderation since social media continues to affect almost every part of our lives. It is anticipated that platforms will regulate and control material with more openness and that more thorough reporting and accountability mechanisms will be implemented. This might ensure that platforms are held responsible for their moderation policies and help address concerns pertaining to hazardous material and disinformation.
Another key concern will be data privacy, with new laws expected to place more stringent limitations on the way social media firms gather, utilize, and distribute user data. To preserve user privacy across countries, anticipate more limitations on cross-border data transfers, stronger permission regulations, and increased user rights to govern their own data.
Protections for user safety will be strengthened, particularly for vulnerable populations like children and those who are being harassed. Stronger safety measures on platforms, such as improved reporting systems and instruments to identify and stop abuse, may be required by future rules. In order to combat online dangers and guarantee that privacy is maintained, social media businesses and law enforcement may also work together more.
In the United States, the company’s future is unclear. The corporation should fire its present consultants and lobbyists and reevaluate its strategy from the ground up. The valid concerns of Americans about data privacy and the integrity of democratic processes should have been addressed under the guidance of these experts. Instead, their negligence has made a hazardous situation worse. Other foreign businesses should take note of this recent run of mishaps.
Summary
“It emphasizes how crucial it is to comprehend and respond to the unique issues raised by the American people and government agencies. In order to regain people’s confidence and show that it is really committed to safeguarding user data and upholding democratic norms, TikTok has to act decisively going ahead. By doing this, it would not only strengthen its position in the American market but also provide guidelines for how foreign businesses should handle challenging regulatory landscapes.”