TikTok’s future in the US is looking very uncertain right now, as politicians consider banning the platform altogether. Could the UK to follow suit any time soon?
Here’s what you need to know.
What is TikTok?
If you have been lucky enough to live a social media-free life for the last few years, you may have missed TikTok’s growing dominance over the field.
The platform, designed for short videos to be widely shared, has than 1.5 billion users worldwide after experiencing a boom in the Covid pandemic.
The largest audience for the platform is the US, where around 170 million people use the platform along with seven million small businesses.
It’s one of the few social media companies to really take off outside of those created in Silicon Valley, as it is owned by the China-based company ByteDance.
Has the US banned TikTok?
No – but it is seriously considering about it after a vote in the House of Representatives this week.
The House passed a bill (352 votes to 65) which states that the platform could be banned in the States, if ByteDance does not sell its share in the US version of TikTok.
The bill’s success comes after security concerns over TikTok have been steadily growing.
According to White House national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, the goal is ending Chinese ownership rather than shutting down the popular platform altogether.
Banning it would mean removing from app stores like Apple and Google, and it would be blocked on other hosting websites – until ByteDance sells it.
However, the tech-savvy could still access it through virtual private networks (VPNS) which can operate outside of geographical restrictions.
The Senate still has to pass the bill for it to actually come into effect, too.
US president Joe Biden has said it would sign the legislation if it passes both of the Houses (even though his administration set up an official account in February).
It’s also not clear who would buy the platform.
It would require someone with plenty of cash to hand and plenty of patience as such an acquisition may take some time.
However, if the US bill passes into law, the US version of the group could get a lot cheaper.
Why is the US so concerned about TikTok’s owner ByteDance?
US authorities fear the TikTok owner may share user data with China’s government which is known to be authoritarian.
China recently unveiled new national security laws which force organisations to help with intelligence gathering.
How has TikTok responded?
TikTok has denied that it has ever intended to share such information with the Chinese state – and claims it would not do so even if asked.
TikTok also slammed the way the US government has handled this potential ban.
A spokesperson said: “This process was secret and the bill was jammed through for one reason: It’s a ban.”
The representative urged US senators to speak to the general public “and realise the impact on the economy” before voting on the bill.
The company also said there is no Chinese state ownership within ByteDance, or representation on its board, and that the platform is incorporated outside of China.
The Chinese government also responded to the expected ban earlier this week, saying such a ban would “come back to bite the United Sates”.
What might happen next?
TikTok could legally challenge the decision with 165 days of the bill being signed by Biden.
The challenge could be hooked to worries about how the ban potentially prohibits free speech, as that would breach the US’s First Amendment.
The future of the platform may also depend on who wins the next election in the US, set to be held in November.
Former president and the Republican nominee in the presidential race, Donald Trump, previously promised to ban the app on national security grounds – but has since changed his mind.
What about the UK?
The UK does not seem to be as concerned as the US - for now.
TikTok was banned from British government devices in March 2023 following a review that there “could” be a risk to how data and information is used within it.
MPs and guests cannot access the platform on any devices connected to official Wi-Fi accounts, either.
However, there was no suggestion the public, government employees or ministers could not continue to use it for personal reasons.
The cabinet office said the move was taken because TikTok users have to submit data like contacts, user content and geolocation.
Scotland and Wales have banned the app from official government devices, too.
The UK government did still try to enlist TikTok influencers to help “stop the boats” earlier this year.
A home office spokesperson explained at the time: “We make no apologies for using every means necessary to stop the boats and save lives.”
But, a specialist warned the i newspaper that this more relaxed attitude could change if the US moves against the platform.
Robyn Caplan, assistant professor at Duke University, said: “If the US government succeeds in this ban, it’s likely others will follow suit.”