Biden Signed a TikTok Ban Bill. What Does it Mean for You?

The U.S. Senate has made a move that’s been developing, passing legislation that could result in TikTok being banned across the entire country unless its parent company from China ByteDance sells it. This decision has raised numerous queries and worries among the app’s wide user community as well as outside observers. So what does this signify for an average TikTok lover or even someone who just casually watches videos on it? Let’s dive into the heart of the matter.

Time’s Up for TikTok

ByteDance has been ordered to sell its U.S. business within nine months, possibly extending to three more months if a deal is in progress, indicating that a ban could be as far as one year away or even more due to probable legal battles. TikTok has won legal battles in the past, but taking on federal laws is a different level altogether.

What Happens to Your App?

If you’re one of the 170 million Americans who are scrolling through TikTok, you might be thinking about what comes after. Even if a ban is put into action, TikTok will not disappear from your device immediately. But, it will be taken out from app stores. This means that no one can download or update the app anymore. It could gradually become outdated and pose security threats.

Is There a Route to Circumvent It?

One thing we know for certain is that users, particularly the younger generation, are quite skilled at bypassing restrictions. Whether it’s through VPNs or other app marketplaces, you might be able to keep TikTok running on your device. But, it is not known which method – if any – would be effective against a government ban. Instead, users may move towards other platforms such as Instagram’s Reels or YouTube’s short videos. These have been competing for TikTok’s audience already.

Should You Be Worried?

The reason for these legislative steps is the worry that the Chinese government might get access to the data of U.S. TikTok users or control what content goes out from it. TikTok says they don’t do such things, but China has laws related to national security that may force ByteDance into cooperating with intelligence plans.

Ultimately, the possible TikTok prohibition relates to data privacy, government involvement, and the upcoming time of social media. The app has already been banned in Nepal and there are chances it will get banned in Kenya as well.