US TikTok Ban Raises Digital Censorship Concerns
Recently, I’ve noticed a surge of ads for Rednote on platforms like Facebook and YouTube, which piqued my curiosity. It turns out this extensive advertising campaign is a reaction to TikTok being banned in the United States. On January 19, 2025, a law was enacted requiring TikTok to be sold to a U.S. company or shut down entirely [1]. This legislation prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or provision of internet hosting services for applications controlled by foreign adversaries [2]. Countries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are classified as foreign adversaries under this law, directly impacting TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.
In an effort to avoid the ban, ByteDance proposed several alternatives, including a plan to disclose data to U.S. authorities, limit the collection of location and contact information, and release government-sponsored content to counteract any allegations of foreign propaganda. However, these proposals were ultimately rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court. As a result, TikTok users were presented with a notification on January 18—just one day before the ban—informing them that the app would no longer be accessible.
Effects of the Ban on TikTok Users
Many TikTok content creators sent goodbye messages to their fans on social media as they await the inevitable TikTok ban. The homosexual interabled couple matthewandpaul share their experiences on social media as well as sharing awareness about what blind people face as Paul lost 90% of his vision due to a disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa [3]. The couple thanked their fans for the community they built in a post on January 15, 2024 [4].
Joe Mele, who posts comedy skits with his family along with other funny content on their TikTok page, was supposed to reach the 30 million TikTok followers milestone on the social networking site. However, due to the ban, they posted their last video on January 19, 2024, thanking their fans for changing their lives and making them laugh over the years [5]. They planned on moving to Instagram to continue posting their skits there.
The Rise of Rednote
A huge advertising campaign about another Chinese social media app started as the threat of the TikTok ban loomed near. Xiaohongshu, which translates to “little red book,” started making its rounds on various social media sites to promote itself. The English name for the app is Rednote, and many US users flock to the app to spite the US government for banning TikTok. Many social media content creators moved to the new app as well, re-uploading their content there, usually with Chinese subtitles to be able for Chinese people who use the app to understand what these creators are saying.
However, what users realize is that the app reveals how much more restrictive China is than the US. For example, any talk about politics is banned on the app. So you’re not allowed to talk about police brutality, homelessness, drug addiction, among others. You are not allowed to talk about anything bad about China, or even US President Biden or the President-elect Donald Trump. The only things you are allowed to post are lifestyle-related. Talking about these topics will result in Chinese people warning you about these content not allowed on the site. YouTube creator serpentza discussed more about the truth about Rednote on a video uploaded on the day of the ban [6].
With American users migrating to Rednote following the shutdown and referring to themselves as “TikTok refugees,” there are ongoing talks about creating separate versions of Rednote for Chinese and non-Chinese audiences. While it is not yet happening, David Zhang, a YouTuber who exposes actions by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), uploaded a video where he tried to speedrun getting banned on the app [7]. He commented on sensitive dates, criticisms against the CCP, and the infamous Tianamen Square incident, among others. He was banned 13 hours after registering his account after posting an image of Winnie the Pooh with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s face.
The Unbanning
Twelve hours after the ban, TikTok resumed operations thanks to President-elect Donald Trump, who attempted to ban the platform in 2020, calling the social media site a threat to national security, according to a Forbes article [8]. In a proposed framework shared on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump described a plan in which “the United States would hold a 50% stake in a joint venture.” He also mentioned intentions to issue an executive order after today’s inauguration that would prolong the grace period before the law’s restrictions begin to apply. About 12 hours after the initial shutdown, TikTok started to restore service for existing users in the United States, but the process was inconsistent. Users experienced varying levels of accessibility, with some regaining complete access to web and mobile apps, while others could only use specific social media site features.
Final Thoughts
Banning TikTok has proven to be ineffective in preventing data collection as users in the United States moved over to Rednote to protest the ban. However, some users realized that the restriction of free speech was worse when they moved over because the app explicitly banned mentions of politics. At the very least, that’s probably the only good thing that came out of this shutdown, as some users realize that the restrictions are worse in China than in the US, which is known as “the land of the free.” Also, banning social networking sites has started this insane whack-a-mole, with new platforms such as Rednote replacing them. As long as the US is still new to censoring compared to China, the country will still face problems with these bans.
The most concerning aspect, though, is freedom of speech. While the threats to US national security are warranted, there should be no reason for ordinary US citizens to be affected by this. Ordinary people should have the freedom to share things on any social media site they prefer. If the US is worried about national security, it should restrict access to these apps to government officials.
However, a more pressing issue is user privacy. Aside from TikTok, big social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter gather data about their users for advertising, among others. Laws should be passed to reduce the data collection of social media sites such as FaceBook and TikTok, which harms the privacy of individuals who browse these sites.
Overall, the TikTok ban highlight the delicate balance between national security, free speech, and user privacy. While concerns about national data collection are legitimate, measures should be taken to ensure that fundamental rights of individual users would not be taken away. Stronger laws and transparency are essencial to protect user information and promote a healthier digital landscape. As the conversation continues, it is crucial to seek solutions that protect both the rights of individuals and the security of the nation.
References
[1] https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-656_ca7d.pdf
[2] https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/118th-congress/house-report/417/1
[3] https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewandpaul/video/7400046127057243434?lang=en
[4] https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewandpaul/video/7459814575689600302?lang=en
[5] https://www.tiktok.com/@mmmjoemele/video/7461317852465859871?lang=en
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjWairkG9lw
[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nXGliOIfgY
[8] https://www.forbes.com/sites/esatdedezade/2025/01/20/tiktok-was-unbanned-after-just-12-hours-heres-why/