Payback: US May Ban TikTok and Other Chinese Apps

There seem to be no respite for TikTok as the app may face a ban from the US. (What will become of Jason Derulo’s lockdown fame?)

CNN reported that the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo stated on Monday that the US is ‘looking at’ banning TikTok as well as other Chinese social media apps.

Mr Mike Pompeo was asked by Laura Ingraham of Fox News whether the United States should be considering a ban on Chinese social media apps, “especially TikTok.”

He replied that “With respect to Chinese apps on people’s cell phones, I can assure you the United States will get this one right too, Laura,” he said. “I don’t want to get out in front of the President [Donald Trump], but it’s something we’re looking at.”

He also added that people should only download the app If they want their  private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.

TikTok was among the apps booted out of India which was its biggest market. The US is its second biggest market and a ban may negatively impact its massive growth.

TikTok is fighting hard to shed off the stigma associated with being of Chinese Origin. It recently appointed an American CEO, Kevin Mayer and also moved its operations to London. Given the recent sanctions, it seems the company may have to do more to secure people’s trust.

Is this karma?

On the flip side, this war is not only about privacy issues. It is renewed Sinophobia. The recent handling of the coronavirus pandemic by the Chinese government has rekindled the fire of distrust between China and the rest of the world.

President Trump seem to have an ax to grind with China and he never fails to let it known. He refers to Covid-19 as Chinese virus. The US FCC recently officially designated ZTE and Huawei, two Chinese tech giants as national threats.

Already, almost all prominent US apps including Twitter and Facebook are not allowed in China. Google is allowed a limited presence in the country. Bearing this in mind, it will be okay to argue that it is time for Chinese apps to experience the censoring that apps of US origin face in China. Apple is the only and it has a decent market share there.

I wonder where all this will end. I must confess that I find it interesting that China is getting a taste of their own politics. Perhaps, China may decide to review some of its policies in order to secure the space of its tech companies globally.