The news is going around the world: the US House of Representatives has voted to ban TikTok unless parent company ByteDance sells the app. A move that would have a huge impact on American content creators and users. But what does this mean for those who don't live in the United States, or even those who don't even use TikTok? There are potential repercussions for everyone. Here are some possible scenarios.
When the cat is away, the mice dance
If the TikTok ban also passes the Senate, other social platforms could take advantage of the void left by the app. It has already happened in India, where after the 2020 ban users flocked to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Meta (owner of Instagram) e Google (owner of YouTube) seized the opportunity, testing and launching these new features in India and then exporting them to the rest of the world. And now they're already rubbing their hands.
Be careful, though: When a few companies gain too much influence and market share, things rarely end well for users. With less competition, tech giants may be tempted to make unwelcome changes to their platforms, knowing that users have few alternatives. And if they decide to limit political content or discussions on "uncomfortable" social issues, like Meta has already done? For many activists and popularizers it would be a severe blow, beyond the vulnerability to democracy.
TikTok, a question of principle (of precaution)
Then there is the issue of data security. Would banning TikTok really improve user privacy? The example of India suggests not: Despite the ban, it appears that ByteDance can still access sensitive data of Indian users. And privacy concerns regarding Meta, X (Twitter) or YouTube don't seem to spark the same bipartisan outrage in the US Congress. In other words, if you think it's a question of data or social media, I'm afraid you're wrong. The TikTok ban appears more of a political move than a real security protection. And it risks creating a dangerous precedent: if today it's TikTok's turn, tomorrow it could be the turn of any other foreign app that doesn't suit the US government.
Elephants fighting, ants dying
But the consequences could go beyond the digital world. Analysts fear that the TikTok ban could exacerbate the already tense relations between the US and China, triggering a chain of commercial retaliations. If the two giants were to start beating each other up, the global economy would lose out: according to the International Monetary Fund, tensions between the USA and China could lead to a loss of 2% of global GDP in the long run. And guess who would pay for it? That's right: developing countries.
What about the poor TikTok users? They will probably find a way to get around the ban, as happened in Afghanistan and Nepal, perhaps by using free VPNs. But this could expose them to malware and other cyber risks. In short, the ban could paradoxically worsen security everywhere, online and offline.
Bypass the Tiktok ban? Unity is strength (of users)
Faced with this heart-shaking scenario, what can we mere mortals do? Maybe it's time to rethink our relationship with social media. Instead of depending on a single platform, we could diversify our online activities and support more ethical and transparent alternatives. Small rhetorical gloss: we could even rediscover the pleasure of interacting with real people, without filters or algorithms. Because in the end, even if the digital world falls apart, real life continues. And it's up to us to choose how to live it.
