There’s been a lot of back-and-forth about what’s driving the recently enacted-then-retracted TikTok ban. It’s important to remember that the fundamental reasoning for “why” (or as some would say, the excuse given) is one of national cybersecurity. But does that hold up?
Originally posted to my technical blog, The Moloch on January 21st, 2025.
I’m not sure if there was a story getting more attention in the week leading up to the Trump inauguration than the confusion and controversy surrounding the TikTok ban.
While that might seem ridiculous in the face of how many other national and international issues are going to be impacted, it shouldn’t be underestimated. I don’t typically try to cover front-page events on The Moloch, but it’s my firm belief that the political impact of the ban is an effective microcosm of the numerous fights around tech policy and civil liberties coming for Americans. Stay with me.
Because the situation is still developing, the status as of the time of this writing is that TikTok is back in the US. The company publicly thanked Donald Trump (the President who initially insisted on restricting it in the first place). The “shutdown” only lasted 14 hours.
While this has largely gained momentum in recent weeks, the TikTok saga has unfolded since the early days of the first Trump presidency, as well as the entirety of Biden’s. While many on the outside might dismiss the app as weaponized brainrot, or “that dance app for kids”, nearly 40 percent of young adults (which includes voters) get a majority of their news coverage from it. Now, when considering how hard Gen Z males swung right in the 2024 election, a potential relationship between these data points should be enough to take what happens on the app seriously for both Democrats and Republicans.
Read the full article here.