Is TikTok facing a ticking time bomb in the US and Canada? Last Wednesday, as part of a foreign-aid package that included funding for allies, President Joe Biden signed a law that requires TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the popular video-sharing app to an American buyer within a year or face a ban in the US. Analysts believe that Canada isn’t far behind.
Despite the momentum among legislators, public opinion on a ban is sharply divided, and the largest divides break down across age groups.
The main concern centers on national security. American and Canadian authorities are wary of the app's potential for data privacy breaches and spreading the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. However, TikTok's user base, which skews younger, tends to see things differently. In the US and Canada, adults between the ages of 18 and 34 are more likely to oppose a ban, arguing the app remains a significant platform for entertainment and expression, especially for Gen Z.