With 170 million American users, a TikTok prohibition across the UK could have a significant impact.
On Wednesday, the US moved a step closer to banning the world’s most-downloaded app after a vote in the House of Representatives.
Here’s what we know about the US ban – and whether a similar move could happen in the UK.
Has TikTok been prohibited in the US?
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a bill that could result in TikTok being banned in the US if its Chinese owner ByteDance does not sell it.
325 Congress members voted in favor of the bill, with only 65 opposing it.
However, the bill isn’t in effect yet – it still needs to pass through the Senate before becoming a law.
If it does pass through the Senate, ByteDance will have 165 days to divest from TikTok, requiring them to sell the platform to someone else.
‘TikTok could continue to exist and people could do whatever they want on it as long as there is that separation,’ said Representative Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House select China committee.
Gallagher described ByteDance as a ‘tumor’ and stated that the bill was essentially a ‘surgery’ meant to remove it.
However, selling TikTok could be challenging.
ByteDance would need to find a buyer willing to invest billions in the platform. They stated that they are uncertain if they would be able to secure a deal within the bill’s 165-day deadline.
Additionally, China would also have to approve the sale – which is not guaranteed.
If the bill is approved and ByteDance does not sell TikTok, the app will be removed from app stores like the Apple App Store and Google Play.
This means new users would not be able to download it.
Nevertheless, enforcing a complete prohibition would be challenging.
People who already have TikTok installed on their phone may still be able to access the app.
Users could also gain access to TikTok by using a virtual private network, also known as a VPN, to change the location of their phone to a country where the app isn’t prohibited.
President Joe Biden stated he was in favor of the ban, even though he joined the platform last month.
‘If they pass it, I’ll sign it,’ he said.
TikTok stated that a ban would ‘strip 170 million Americans of their constitutional right to free expression.’
‘This legislation has a predetermined outcome: a total ban of TikTok in the United States,’ the company said after the committee vote.
Why does the US government want to ban TikTok?
Some US politicians are concerned about the connections between TikTok and the Chinese government.
They believe that ByteDance might share sensitive data about TikTok users with China’s ruling Communist Party.
‘This is a critical national security issue,’ Republican Steve Scalise said on X.
White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan said it was a matter of control over data.
‘Do we want the data from TikTok – children’s data, adults’ data – to be staying here in America or going to China?’ he said.
Some politicians are worried that the platform censors content critical of the Chinese government.
However, many American TikTok users complained about the bill, so it may not be popular.
TikTok stated that it does not and will not share US user data with the Chinese government.
They also mentioned that US user data is stored in Singapore and the US, not in China.
When asked if a Chinese official was on the ByteDance board, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew said 'I believe so.'
The proposed ban was called an ‘act of bullying’ by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Is there a way to prevent the TikTok ban?
Even if the bill passes in the Senate, it may still face legal challenges.
Some argue that a ban would violate the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees the right to free speech.
In 2023, the state of Montana tried to ban the app, but a federal judge blocked the law, saying it violated the First Amendment.
The same legal challenge could be used if a nationwide ban is imposed.
Has TikTok been banned anywhere in the US already?
Apart from Montana's attempt to ban TikTok last year, there have been other efforts to restrict the app in the country.
Donald Trump threatened to ban the platform in 2020 when he issued an executive order. Donald Trump opposes the ban (Picture: EPA)
The app is already banned on government-issued phones in the US, and at least 50 universities in the US have banned it from on-campus wifi and university-owned computers.
Could it become banned in the UK?
The app is banned from government devices in the UK due to cybersecurity concerns.
However, Oliver Downden stated that the ban only applies to work devices, not personal phones or computers used by government employees.
While a US ban could lead to other countries following suit, there are currently no signs that the UK will ban TikTok.
Is TikTok banned anywhere in the world?
India banned TikTok, along with 58 other Chinese-created apps in 2020, following escalating tensions between the two countries.
The Indian government said it wanted to ‘protect the data and privacy’ of its citizens.
The app is also banned in Senegal, Somalia, Nepal, and Kyrgyzstan.
In Russia, TikTok is still accessible, but users cannot upload new videos.
There is a separate version of the app in China, called Douyin.
Could it also be banned in the UK?
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