The Reason Behind Joe Biden's Announcement To Ban TikTok Revealed

Joe Biden just did something that sounds simple on paper but messy in real life, he said he’d sign a bill to ban TikTok in the United States. The app is wildly popular, with about 150 million monthly users, yet it keeps crashing into the same wall in Washington.

This all comes down to one fight that has been simmering for years, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr pushing tech companies to remove TikTok from American app stores back in 2022, and now Biden repeating the promise that he would back a ban if it hits his desk. The complication is what lawmakers think TikTok is doing behind the scenes, harvesting sensitive data and, in their view, handing it off to Beijing through ByteDance, which they associate with the Chinese state.

And once you realize the concern is not just the videos, but the data and the algorithm steering what people see, this story stops feeling harmless fast.

President Joe Biden has announced his intention to endorse a bill aimed at banning TikTok in the United States. The popular video-sharing app, with a staggering monthly user base of 150 million people, has long raised concerns among American policymakers.

The call to prohibit the platform from operating within U.S. borders has echoed for years. In 2022, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr urged tech companies to remove TikTok from their American app stores.

On Friday (March 8), President Biden reiterated this stance, telling reporters that if such a bill were to reach his desk, he would "sign it" without hesitation. However, the question remains: What underlying issues does Congress have with what appears to be a harmless social media platform?

While Biden was telling reporters he’d “sign it,” the earlier warnings from Brendan Carr in 2022 were still hanging over the whole TikTok debate.

President Joe Biden has expressed his intention to sign a bill that would ban TikTok in the U.S. The video-sharing app, with a massive monthly user base of 150 million people, has raised longstanding concerns in America, making it the country with the largest TikTok audience.

Calls to prohibit TikTok from operating in the U.S. have persisted for years. In 2022, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Brendan Carr urged tech companies to remove TikTok from their American app stores.

President Biden reiterated this stance on Friday (March 8), stating to reporters that he would "sign it" if such a bill were to pass. However, the question remains: What concerns does Congress have regarding this seemingly harmless platform?

That’s when the conversation shifts from popularity numbers to the specific accusation that TikTok “harvests swaths of sensitive data.”

In a similar standoff, Trump halts all trade with a European nation over lack of support for US military efforts.

Carr highlighted that the app "harvests swaths of sensitive data," which is then purportedly accessed in Beijing. ByteDance, the developers behind TikTok, have ties to the Chinese state and have faced criticism for their connections with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a major concern for the U.S. government.

There are concerns that China could exploit this data for espionage purposes. Additionally, lawmakers fear that China may manipulate the app's algorithms to propagate propaganda or misinformation.

TikTok has denied sharing information with the Chinese government, but these concerns persist. Previous attempts to ban TikTok failed, though renewed efforts have emerged in light of the new "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act."

Then the focus tightens on ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese state and the fear that China could use that data for espionage.

Part of the 12-page document outlines its purpose "to protect the national security of the United States from the threat posed by foreign adversary-controlled applications, such as TikTok and any successor application or service, and any other application or service developed or provided by ByteDance Ltd. or an entity under the control of ByteDance Ltd."

To prevent TikTok from being banned in the U.S., ByteDance will need to alter its fundamental ownership structure. Representative Mike Gallagher stated, "TikTok can continue to exist; people can continue to engage in all sorts of activities on the platform, including sharing dance videos and connecting with friends. However, the underlying ownership structure must change."

Essentially, the U.S. government aims for ByteDance to be divested so it no longer maintains connections with the Chinese government. The specific entity or individual they seek to purchase ByteDance has not been specified.

After that, lawmakers start worrying that China could also manipulate TikTok’s algorithms, shaping what Americans believe without them even realizing it.</p>

The recently introduced bill has stirred controversy in China. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed concerns, stating, "This bill is essentially a direct ban on TikTok, regardless of any attempts to mask it. It threatens the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and jeopardizes the platform relied upon by 5 million small businesses for growth and job creation."

Scheduled for a vote on the House floor next week, the bill continues to provoke debate and scrutiny.

Biden’s TikTok ban promise turns a scroll into a national security headline.

Want more political fire? See how Americans split on Trump’s Iran airstrikes.