The Arguments Against TikTok Bans

The impending US TikTok ban, still on hold as of this writing, has made headlines around the world for several years. Fewer people realize that other bans affecting the social media platform are already in effect. 

Most of the countrywide bans, seven in all, have been based on claims of anti-Islamic, Western, or terrorist propaganda, negative influences on young TikTok users, or immoral content. Nations like Pakistan and Nepal are in that category.

India, however, has cited the same justification that America has used for banning TikTok, and it’s the same reason that more than a dozen countries — including the United States — already prohibit installing TikTok on government phones and devices. The countries are seriously concerned that the app could endanger their national security.

In a nutshell, TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, and that nation’s laws require that access to all user data be made available to the government on demand. China could theoretically collect information on more than a billion Western TikTok users in that way. There are also concerns that the platform could be used to manipulate content and spread propaganda.

Those arguments have been found compelling by governments throughout the West. That leads to an interesting question, though: are there valid arguments against TikTok bans?

There are actually quite a few.

1. People Love TikTok

About one-third of US adults (and similar numbers of people in other developed nations) use the app. Worldwide, there are more than two billion TikTok users, and they are so devoted to the platform that they spend more time on it (an average of almost an hour a day, by some measures) than do users on any competing social app.

Before the American ban was passed by Congress and signed by the president, users were up in arms at the possibility of losing TikTok. Some even joined different Chinese platforms in protest. Countless others were upset or even panicked by potentially losing their access to the app, where so many younger users spend so much of their day.

2. Loss of Educational Resources

TikTok is a source of information and education for countless users on an enormous variety of topics, ranging from home repair and personal finance to mental health and human rights. The loss of such a worldwide resource would be a blow to educational opportunities and would be difficult to replace.

3. Loss of Entertainment Outlets and Sense of Community

One huge reason TikTok quickly became a top-five social app was its variety of participatory entertainment options unavailable on competitive platforms. The loss of the app’s unique entertainment options would be a major blow to users — most of whom also view themselves as members of a diverse international community united by their love of the platform.

4. Countries’ Economies Could Be Affected

Millions of users make money with their TikTok accounts, and they could all suffer a serious or complete loss of income. A large number of them being unemployed or underemployed could stress economies around the world.

Millions of companies use the platform as well, finding it to be one of the very best marketing venues for reaching Gen Z and millennial consumers. Their revenue streams and operations could suffer greatly with the loss of a global TikTok audience.

5. A Ban Could Set the Stage for Major Damage to the Internet

Banning TikTok in much of the world could encourage many nations to more strictly regulate and restrict access to other social platforms and websites. The Internet was conceived as an “open” system, but a spread of online platform bans could endanger the concepts of a global communications network and worldwide freedom of speech.

Taken to their worst possible level, TikTok bans could lead to widespread censorship of the Internet, and the accepted use of the Internet as a propaganda weapon and a tool for punishing viewpoints opposed by governments.

6. Lack of Provable Harm

While some concerns about data security may be valid, there’s no evidence that China or other nations have requested, demanded, or seized TikTok data for its own use. Those arguing against bans say that the actions would be premature, at best.

Governments, however, are always likely to consider national security concerns above all else — which is why the arguments we’ve listed will probably fail to win any battle over banning TikTok. America has already shown that to be true.