TikTok banned: Wildly addictive app goes dark as fans mourn. Will Trump save it?
USA TodayFEB 3
TikTok Goes Dark in US as Federal Ban Takes Effect
Above: An illustration photo shows a banned TikTok logo displayed on a smartphone in Suqian, China, on Jan. 15, 2025. Image copyright: Costfoto/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
As the First Amendment protects TikTok, Congress' attempt to ban the platform is an unconstitutional restriction on free speech that destroys a vital platform for expression and commerce for over 170M Americans without concrete evidence of security threats. It's unfortunate that TikTok had to shut down not for the speech shared on the platform but because of anti-China hysteria stirred up to meet a political agenda.
Pro-establishment narrative
TikTok poses a significant national security risk through its Chinese ownership. It potentially gives the Chinese Communist Party a powerful tool for harassment, recruitment, and espionage. The app also allows the PRC government access to unprecedented amounts of sensitive user data and the manipulation of content algorithms to influence American public opinion. To protect national interests, the app must be either sold to a trusted US company or shut down.