Elon Musk has stated his opposition to a TikTok ban in the United States.
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has voiced her support for banning TikTok in Australia following President Joe Biden’s signing of legislation mandating ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, to divest its ownership of TikTok in the U.S.
Ms. Ley mentioned that the Opposition would consider adopting a similar approach to the U.S.
“It’s concerning that they admitted to storing Australian data on their servers a few years ago. It’s inappropriate for TikTok to have the level of reach and access it currently has. We would support measures and closely examine what the U.S. has implemented.
“We need to be cautious about cyber-enabled espionage and foreign interference.”
When asked if she would support a TikTok shutdown like in the U.S., Ms. Ley responded, “I believe we should consider similar measures, absolutely.”
TikTok’s Situation in the U.S
The U.S. swiftly passed a bill targeting TikTok, a subsidiary of ByteDance, a technology firm based in Beijing.
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According to this new law, ByteDance has 270 days to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations.
If ByteDance fails to comply with the sale, it will be banned nationwide and removed from app stores and website hosts.
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, stated on April 20 that he does not support a TikTok ban as it goes against freedom of expression.
“Banning it would contradict the principles of freedom of speech and expression. This is not in line with what America stands for.”
However, after the bill was passed and signed into law by President Biden, TikTok CEO Shou Chew reassured that the platform is here to stay.
The CEO, who was born in Singapore, stated that TikTok is confident and will continue to advocate for the rights of its users in court. He insisted that the facts and the constitution support TikTok, and the platform expects to emerge victorious.
“It’s a disappointing moment, but it doesn’t have to define us. Ironically, the freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a symbol of liberty.”
“This is not about Americans using TikTok, this is about PRC (People’s Republic of China) ownership, this is about TikTok’s control,” she explained.
“We want to see a divestment, we want it to be sold, and we do not seek a ban; that’s not the intention of this bill.”
Australia’s Responsibility to Enhance TikTok’s Safety: Shadow Home Affairs Minister
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson welcomed the U.S. bill to divest from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s influence.
He suggested that Australia should take similar actions, highlighting that ByteDance, a “social media giant” based in Beijing, is ultimately under the CCP’s control.
The Shadow Home Affairs Minister urged the Albanese government to follow President Biden’s lead and implement similar measures.
However, TikTok Australia’s General Manager of Global Business Solutions, Brett Armstrong, asserted that TikTok poses no risk in Australia.
“TikTok is a platform that is beloved by over 8.5 million Australians and 350,000 Australian businesses, with a recent independent study by Oxford Economics revealing that we contribute $1.1 billion (US$719 million) and 13,000 jobs to the Australian economy.”
On the other hand, a spokesperson for Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil informed the Financial Review that the Albanese government is “closely monitoring events in the U.S.,” noting that TikTok had been banned on government phones.
“We are closely monitoring developments in the U.S. and will seek further advice if any potential sale or new information from our agencies deems it necessary,” the spokesperson added.
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