Washington seems more likely than ever to block the popular app. Beijing’s reserve exposes America’s weaknesses, says Catherine Thorbecke for Bloomberg Opinion.
Rep Troy Nehls, R-Texas, arrives for an event to call for the banning of TikTok, the hugely popular video-sharing app, at the Capitol in Washington, on Mar 23, 2023. The debate over whether Washington will ban TikTok due to perceived national security concerns related to the Beijing base of its parent company, ByteDance, has simmered for years. In the past, Chinese officials haven’t shied from harsh rhetoric voicing opposition.
And policymakers would be unwise to underestimate the might Beijing may deploy in response to what it has previously decried as unfair “bullying”. Even policymakers on the US-China Commission can’t seem to grasp that Beijing, and ByteDance, would never allow a forced sale of its crown jewel algorithm to a foreign buyer.
Yet this fails to acknowledge that Beijing has knee-capped its own tech sector in favour of broader policy goals with a brutal crackdown that has only recently eased. If the past few years have revealed anything about government priorities, it’s that investor returns and fast growth in the tech sector are no longer on top. President Xi Jinping’s mantra of “common prosperity” and high-quality innovation that strengthens its tech independence has taken its place.
TikTok is painted as a national security threat, but not only has commander-in-chief Joe Biden’s team joined, it has become a major campaign tool for both presidential frontrunners. The coconut tree memes and “brat” vibes propelling Kamala Harris’ popularity in the polls originated on the app.It’s ironic that the US is employing an undemocratic process to ban the app in the name of preserving its democracy. Around half of Americans use TikTok. Less than a third support a ban.
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