Left image via whitehouse.org //

2020 folks…

In news that is sure to make a significant subset of the U.S. population upset, the Trump administration is considering banning TikTok due to privacy concerns. The move comes as tensions between America and China continue to worsen, most recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I don’t want to get out in front of the President, but it’s something we’re looking at,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Fox News, adding that U.S. citizens should only download the app “if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.”

To give context, TikTok is currently owned by China’s Bytedance, which the popular social media platform has attempted to distance itself from in recent months. Speaking to CNBC, a TikTok spokesperson stated “TikTok is led by an American CEO, with hundreds of employees and key leaders across safety, security, product and public policy in the U.S. We have no higher priority than providing a safe and secure app experience for our users. We have never provided user data to the Chinese government, nor would we do so if asked.”

Yet, the Trump administration fears that social media apps such as TikTok are sharing user data with the Communist Party of China, and they’re not alone. India has recently banned the popular app and Australia is considering a similar move.

It’s also possible that TikTok users sabotaged Trump’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma last month, which could also be a contributing factor to the decision.