On the eve of a TikTok ban in the United States, I’m wondering how I’m going to be able to survive. After all, I have so many followers:
US TikTok Ban And Its Impact On Travel
Kyle will talk more about the ban’s practical impact on travel influencers tomorrow, but I want to talk about the ban in general and why I am so conflicted over this.
First, I still find our discussion theoretical at this point. Biden has said he won’t enforce the ban, Trump has floated a 90-day extension today in an interview with ABC News (on what legal basis, I do not know…), but TikTok will go dark absent more concrete assurances it will not fall into legal jeopardy for flouting the duly-enacted ban, upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court on Friday.
A whole lot could change by morning or by Monday…but my bet is that TikTok will somehow survive, even if dark for a few days.
Interestingly, the law that banned TikTok in the USA carved out an exception for apps “whose primary purpose is to allow users to post product reviews, business reviews, or travel information and reviews,” but that is not TikTok’s “primary” purpose. But for many TikTok users, that was the primary purpose…and the closing off of this medium strikes not just as an end to doomscorlling but the destruction of a business model and central mode of communication for the next generation.
As much as I would like to live in peaceful coexistence and economic co-dependency with the People’s Republic of China, I do view China as a rising threat and warily note its global ambitions to dominate the region and eventually challenge the United States for hegemony. I also note that its fingerprints (some might say claws) are on every Chinese business, including ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
And so the idea that algorithms can manipulated to turn stupid Americans against each other and their government is not lost on me. My view changed after the 2002 “Letter to America” manifesto of Osama bin Laden went viral in 2023, with dimwits heaping praise on Bin Laden and scorn on the US government for the audacity of supporting Israel defend itself from terrorism.
But over and over again, much to the chagrin of those who want me to censor certain voices in the comments section of this blog, I have said the answer to speech is more speech. The US has a long history, dating back to the Sedition Act of 1798, of being afraid of free speech. But that is our strength as a nation and a bedrock of our system of government. Not like Mainland China, where Google is effectively blocked and Chinese search engines turn up zero results for the Tiananmen Square massacre. Or in Europe and the United Kingdom, where libel and privacy laws greatly stifle free speech. No thank you, I’ll take the risk of free speech. It’s a powerful tool that is easily abused, but one the people of the United States have reserved for themselves.
What this ban does is stifle free speech and I don’t think that can survive a strict scrutiny review. It makes it harder to gather information and exchange ideas on travel and a number of other topics. It reduces our ability to promote accountability and document history. We are falling into the same trap of the adversary: silencing contrary ideas for fear of what such ideas might later produce. That’s China, not the USA.
So I’m against this ban, even though I don’t think the Chinese threat is overblown. I’m against it because it goes against our fabric.
So follow me today, won’t you? I at least need a couple before the ban!
Are you in favor of the US TikTok ban?
The only social media that I have an account is Instagram (I like to follow restaurants and chefs) and LinkedIn (which used to be good but now it is full of spam and scammers). Absolutely nothing else and never felt I was missing anything. Couldn’t care less about TikTok.
TikTok shouldn’t be allowed to exist. They contributed nothing to Trump’s campaign or his inauguration. They haven’t reversed DEI policies to make him happy, and they let girls say whatever they want. That’s just wrong. For goodness sakes, a Singaporean is in charge of the company! And as Sen Cotton pointed out… He’s obviously loyal to China!
I’m all about freedom of speech and capitalism, but when I’m led to believe it’s scary, that’s where I draw the line.
U will survive. I’m just interested to see how you sneak into the inaug this year!
I gave you the follow. Finally you can monetize it!
Thanks Lucas!
TikTok isn’t the real problem here. The real problem is how ignorant, uneducated and easily manipulated that the vast majority of Americans are. With the impending ban, “influencers” are now just flocking to OTHER Chinese government controlled apps, like Lemon8 and 小红书 (branded as “Red Note” in English, but the actual meaning is “Little Red Book” a direct reference to Mao’s little red book of communist ideology). Imagine signing up on an app called “Mein Kampf” to make jokes and post silly videos.
100% agree that Congress is treating the symptom, not the root problem.
Clearly the politicians who push the TikTok ban haven’t heard of the Patriot Act. Perhaps they should look in the mirror.
The bottom line is that China is going to dominate Asia, and there’s nothing the USA can do to stop it. They will eventually invade Taiwan, and the West would be foolish to try to stop them. They will continue to splash vast amounts of money around in developing countries, and those countries will continue to gratefully accept it. It’s what the United States did in the 20th century, and now it’s China’s turn.
I don’t disagree that you correctly summarize China’s strategy.
But your idea that the West should just stand by and let it happen is shortsighted. Close relationships with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and India can contain the sort of regional hegemony and eventual worldwide domination that China seeks.
And Australia/New Zealand
It doesn’t limit free speech to say that you must protest on the sidewalk rather than standing in the middle of the freeway. Nor does it limit free speech to say that you must post your dumb reels on a platform that isn’t controlled by our biggest geopolitical enemy. The CCP has used the TicTok algorithm to sow all sorts of chaos into American society, and that is without considering the massive spying involved. The principle of free speech does not require letting our enemies manipulate what our youth see and hear. TicTok should be gone for good.
I appreciate that point of view and obviously, a unanimous Court agreed. I still find it troubling, though you correctly summarize the riks.
Free speech isn’t the issue. The issue is anonymity. And it cuts both ways.
As an individual, you’re not actually anonymous on social media, even if your name isn’t isn’t in your profile.
The one with anonymity are the companies, countries, religions, organizations, lobbyists, billionaires, and interest groups who pay to make sure you believe things that aren’t true. They hide behind shell companies, vendors, sham charities, and both data center and AI shills who push their polarizing rhetoric. And because, in the end, you can’t see the man behind the curtain, you lend a favorable ear to the Russian bots telling you that Canada is a threat because your Uncle Joe isn’t some dummy and he shared the post you’re quickly resharing.
We don’t need to ban TikTok. We need to ban anonymity.
I don’t believe that corporations enjoy free speech in the same way that individuals do, but anonymity is a bedrock of free speech. For example, the SCOTUS heard the PornHub case last week and while I think porn is destructive and states have a valid interest in blocking it from minors, I don’t think registering to visit any website is a good move in the realm of free speech rights for adults.
Democracy is not G-d. Nor G-dly. They are simply a means (and a good one at that) to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Sometimes, like wartime or when threatened by evil, we must give up our liberties temporarily to ensure that our liberties and the liberties of other countries are protected against tyranny.
Yes indeed, but that must be a meticulous balance done only in the most sensitive circumstances in the most limited way possible.
Agreed. 100%.