TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew – were he a sports figure, he would be on the all-name team – was grilled by Congress as the U.S. government is seriously considering banning TikTok.
This is a move that would help the few and hurt the many.
Congress, as well as the President, is accusing the Chinese-owned app of providing data on Americans to the Chinese government. I suppose it’s okay for American apps such as Facebook, Instagram and search giant Google to collect our information but not China. Personally, I don’t want anyone or any company getting data on me but these days that’s as unpreventable as tomorrow.
Plus, I’m not sure what the Chinese government would learn from me anyway. I mean if they want a good hangover cure after St. Patrick’s Day, want to learn what my Drinking Tip Of The Day is for any particular day, perhaps learn some trivia such as where the Irish Coffee cocktail was created, then it’s all there for them. As well as everyone else who watches @PubClubcom.
@pubclub.com PubClub.com Drinking Tip Of The Day!#drinking #drinkingtips #drinkingtipoftheday #pubclub #wine#calwinefest #winefesiival ♬ original sound – PubClub
And I don’t make any money on TikTok (yet anyway). What about those who do, such as social media dynamo Olivia Dunne? She makes somewhere around $2 mil a year on TikTok and Instagram from sponsors. Other people make a lot less than that but it’s still a source of revenue. Pull that rug out from under them and you hurt the economy.
Congress isn’t thinking about that, tho. Instead it’s passing the responsibility of others onto TikTok. If the government is worried about data going to China then simply don’t allow government workers or government contractors from using it.
There has been tragedy because of TikTok. Parents have lost teenagers to suicide after their kids watched some obviously disturbing videos on TikTok. Some testified to Congress to support the ban. Still, the parents should have taken some responsibility to know what their kids are watching on all apps. And yes, TikTok should have also monitored what goes on its app and who is posting it, but banning the app is not the answer. As we know, something else will come up in its place and then what, Congress will want to ban it, too?
I don’t know about you but I would love the opportunity to turn the tables and grill Congress on several things. But banning TikTok is not one of them.
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