Articles and Research

TikTok has trackers called pixels that can pop up on any website with TikTok embedded in it, collecting and transferring information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and more. TikTok is owned by a Chinese company ByteDance, which is required to turn over any data or information collected to the Chinese government at any given time. The Biden Administration has warned ByteDance that they may have to sell the app or face a total ban in the US.  

In order to protect the security of the Montana civilians, Montana governor, Greg Giantaforte, has banned TikTok in all territorial borders. Some believe it could be an infringement of the 1st amendment but it is not backed up by viable evidence. Other states have restrictions on the use of TikTok. The ban might go contested by TikTok or ByteDance.

The FBI is specifically explaining how TikTok is highly likely to be selling data to China and that there is an existing danger due to ByteDances headquarters being in Beijing. The Chinese Government has a larger plan to expand its control over digital platforms as a use of propaganda and general power. The Chinese government encourages all firms to engage in national security data audits of any data that's being gathered by a Chinese firm. We are not banning all Chinese platforms only those who are highly likely to share data with China.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew claimed Tik Tok prioritized user safety as Republican and Democratic lawmakers questioned him on topics including, content moderation practices, data security plans, and past spying on journalists. TikTok has dual headquarters in Singapore and Los Angeles. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Friday that China’s government has never and will not ask companies to “collect or provide data, information or intelligence” held in foreign countries, adding the U.S. “has not provided any evidence so far to prove that TikTok threatens U.S. national security.” China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law states that “any organization” must assist or cooperate with state intelligence work while a separate 2014 Counter-Espionage Law says “relevant organizations ... may not refuse” to collect evidence for an investigation. The Chinese government has also sought more direct control over companies by getting seats on boards of directors. Chew told the lawmakers China-based ByteDance employees may still have access to some U.S. data but that won’t be the case once Project Texas is complete.

TikTok has made its app addictive by designing algorithms so that users stay as long as possible. There is piling evidence that there are damaging effects like shortening attention spans. Other social media apps seem boring compared to the face paced Tiktok. In response, they are taking the same dopamine-rushing style that tik tok uses which continues to deteriorate the attention span of consumers

Social Media in general is harmful to the development of young teens. Although it has its benefits, the simple fact that most social media platforms promote extreme ideas is dangerous for the minds of the youth. The Surgeon General advocates for a stricter age requirement and for it to be higher. 


China has denied asking companies, like Tiktok, to steal private information from its customers. Still, the possibility of this happening is a growing issue in the U.S congress and so the White House endorsed a bipartisan Senate bill that would give the Commerce Department the power to ban any app that endangered Americans’ security, making the ban a widespread ban of TikTok very possible.

Tiktoks parent company, ByteDance, was able to access the IP addresses of journalists who had downloaded Tiktok. This only furthered Congress to pass legislation to ban government employees from downloading or using TikTok on their government-owned devices.