TikTok is facing accusations of assisting the Chinese Communist Party in spreading propaganda. President Joe Biden signed a bill on April 24 that could potentially lead to the banning of TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, divests it to a U.S. company. This move highlights the increasing ideological clash between the United States and China.
With 170 million registered users in the United States, TikTok has been under scrutiny for allegedly aiding the CCP in its propaganda efforts. Lawmakers have expressed concerns that the CCP could compel ByteDance to provide data on the 170 million Americans who use TikTok.
The bill, known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), was overwhelmingly passed in the House of Representatives on April 20 and later in the Senate, leading to President Biden signing the legislation on April 25.
TikTok has faced criticism in the past for allegedly censoring content that goes against the CCP’s interests. The app’s algorithm has been accused of promoting CCP propaganda and censoring sensitive topics like the Hong Kong protests, Tibetan independence, and Falun Gong.
The founder of TikTok, Zhang Yiming, publicly apologized to the CCP in 2018 and pledged allegiance to the party, emphasizing the importance of promoting CCP values within the company. Recent revelations from a former senior executive of ByteDance suggest that the CCP has access to all of the company’s data, including data stored in the United States.
Experts warn that TikTok poses a significant threat to American democracy as it serves as China’s greatest asymmetric advantage against the United States. The app’s popularity and influence have raised concerns about the CCP’s efforts to manipulate public opinion and spread propaganda globally.
Tensions between the United States and China have escalated in recent years, with the conflict ultimately rooted in ideological differences. TikTok has become a focal point in this ideological battle, with the app being used as a tool by the CCP to further its agenda on a global scale. In a statement made in 2023, Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) emphasized the conflicting values between American principles and those of the Chinese Communist Party. He warned about the potential consequences of allowing CCP propaganda to spread through platforms like TikTok, which he described as a tool for indoctrination. Senator Risch called for immediate action from the administration to address the influence of China and to send a clear message that such influence is not welcome in the United States.
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