US Congress Votes To Ban TikTok

Alrighty folks, grab your popcorn because the saga unfolding around TikTok is more gripping than the New Shogun series on Hulu. In a significant legislative development, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill placing TikTok, the globally popular social media platform, in a precarious position. The legislation demands that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, either divest its interests in the platform within six months or face exclusion from the U.S. market. Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is already offering to buy TikTok.

ByteDance,the owner of TikTok, has faced challenges in the U.S. before, and President Biden has indicated he would sign the law. However, it must first clear the Senate. Several other anti-TikTok efforts in the Senate have stalled, so there is no need for TikTokers to panic just yet.

In a nutshell, the law says TikTok has six months to sell. After that period, Apple, Google, and other platforms would be banned from listing the TikTok app. The bill does not make it illegal for the 170 million U.S. users to have the app on their devices. But eventually, if things don't go TikTok's way, the app will no longer be able to be updated and will become a glitchy mess.

Why you ask? Underneath all this is the specter of national security worries. People in high places are losing sleep over the idea that TikTok could be a backdoor for Chinese espionage or a megaphone for propaganda.

Remember that ByteDance did have a couple of oopsie moments with data mishaps, fueling the fire of these concerns, despite TikTok swearing up and down that they'd never play ball with Chinese authorities.

In defense, TikTok has been trying to repair its reputation with things like "Project Texas," trying to convince everyone that American data is safe and sound on U.S. soil, far from prying eyes. But let's be real—the trust issues are deep, and it will take more than a project name to ease those fears.

This isn't just about one app; it's a huge moment for the internet and how we navigate the murky waters of global tech and politics. TikTok's creators and fans are up in arms, ready to fight for their platform, saying TikTok is free speech. Whether TikTok constitutes a platform for free speech involves complex considerations that intersect technology, law, and human rights.

Many question why TikTok? Facebook has faced numerous accusations and concerns similar to those currently surrounding TikTok and worse. They are often accused of squashing free speech, not to mention data breaches, shaping public debate, and influencing elections. And don;t get me started with Google. Will the world then counter by removing American social platforms from their systems? Will China force X to be sold to them?

For those of you thinking, "Bah, what's the big deal with the social platforms? Who cares? " It comes down to propaganda now, before you accuse me of wearing a giant tinfoil hat and seeing psyops programs in every Tide commercial. I invite you to read The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains" by Nicholas Carr and LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media" byP.W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking -- then judge me.

It's not just a tech issue; it's a cultural moment. Is this realy a debate about who gets to say what and where they get to say it? Or is this a public fight of governments to say who gets to send whose propaganda to whom?

For MajorGeeks, TikTok is a nonfactor. We do have a MajorGeeks TikTok account, but we usually forget it is there. I'm more of a long format, information guy -- so there isn;t much on that platform I find interesting. But clearly, people love it.

So if you are a fan and there is a ban, what should you do? Well, initially, nothing. But if things get cranky, watch our video on how to watch block or restricted content, and you'll be back in the short format video meme game in no time.

Whatever happens, it's going to be one for the history books.

Thoughts?