U.S. Government May BAN This App Nationwide!

What Happens if US Government Bans TikTok?

(IntegrityPress.org) – Earlier this month, Brendan Carr, a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), expressed his opinion that the US government should move to ban the Chinese social media platform TikTok. Carr cited widely held concerns about the platform’s Chinese government-backed parent company, ByteDance, and the security risks it could pose to the US. Yet, Carr’s proposal is not as straightforward as it seems.

Because the FCC has no authority to ban TikTok, Congress must pass a measure authorizing the action first. Given the platform’s popularity, such a proposal would be deeply unpopular, particularly among younger users. Will elected officials risk such a divisive move, regardless of the reasoning behind it?

Can the U.S. ban TikTok? Here's what would happen if they tried https://t.co/YIb81mhkhS

— Galileo B. Luzano (@LuzanoB) November 8, 2022

Practical considerations play a part in the feasibility of a ban on TikTok. While Congress has some authority to set rules around the platform, it likely won’t be able to prevent Apple and Google from offering it on their app stores because of First Amendment protections. Even if lawmakers tried, a difficult legal battle would likely ensue.

For now, CFIUS, an interagency organization, and ByteDance are pursuing ongoing negotiations to assess any possible divestment of TikTok to an American company to allow it to remain operational in the United States without security concerns.