President Joe Biden signed a law that will require the Chinese firm to divest from the app or face a ... [+]
The clock is ticking for ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. President Joe Biden signed a law that will require the Chinese firm to divest from the app or face a ban on U.S. devices and networks. ByteDance has nine months to divest, but that could be extended another three months if progress is made.
TikTok has vowed to challenge the law, warning that any potential ban could devastate seven million businesses that use the platform to reach customers, while it would in essence silence the reported 170 million Americans who are on the app.
"This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court," the company said in a statement. "We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail."
While lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have warned of the potential danger that the app presents as it could share user data with China, some critics of the law say TikTok is just part of a much larger and more serious issue of how social media companies have access to the personal data of users.
"If lawmakers want to address real concerns their constituents have about Big Tech companies and data security, they need to pass legislation to strengthen privacy and antitrust regulations and enact protections for data security," MoveOn Campaign Director Jensine Gomez said via an emailed release. "TikTok shouldn't get singled out when privacy, data tracking, and data harvesting are growing problems that Congress has failed to hold all social media platforms accountable for. And just banning TikTok won't fix it."
TikTok Could Ignite Data Debate
The measure requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok was the result of months of debate among the lawmakers, and an earlier version of the legislation passed by the House only to run into opposition in the Senate. However, the measure signed into law on Wednesday was part of a larger $95 billion foreign aid package that provided long-sought additional funding to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
The bill was also amended to extend the length of time ByteDance has to sell TikTok from roughly six months to up to a year, easing concerns of some critics, such as Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), according to The Hill.
Even as ByteDance has vowed to fight on, this could likely begin a conversation about how social media companies and privacy.
"The progressing ban on TikTok has ignited debate on digital sovereignty, geopolitics and technology. There is no doubt that this decision will lead to a further 'balkanization' of the Internet and technology markets," suggested Ted Miracco, CEO of mobile device security provider Approov.
Miracco noted too that China has always restricted the operation of U.S.-based social media platforms within its borders.
"The official PRC reasoning cites concerns over national security and the potential for disinformation, which mirrors the U.S. concerns regarding Chinese apps like TikTok," said Miracco.
Though platforms based in the U.S. may not share data with a foreign entity, perhaps users should be concerned with how those companies harvest and share the information they gather.
"While banning platforms may seem like a straightforward security measure, it is a rather blunt instrument that might not address the root causes of the concerns, such as data privacy and the spread of manipulative or harmful content," explained Miracco.
Lawmakers have vowed to address these issues, but so far have failed to make any real progress. It may now appear that TikTok is just the beginning of a more consorted effort to solve the problem. Miracco recommended where those on Capitol Hill should begin.
"A more effective approach is the implementation of robust data privacy laws, more transparent algorithmic processes, and stringent penalties for platforms that fail to curb the spread of disinformation and hate speech," he continued. "This approach would not just target one country or company, but could establish a global standard that tech companies, regardless of their origin, must adhere to."
