TikTok, this video sharing app has millions of users all around the world, however, many

countries have remained worries of the platform and its ties to China.
Despite TikTok's primary mission was to inspire creativity and joy, several countries such as
India, Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Somalia have completely banned its use, while others like
Australia, Canada, and many European countries have partially banned it. These measures aim to
deal with specific concerns about privacy, data security, inappropriate content, and addiction.
First, many countries, especially the western ones, in this case the United States, express concern
about TikTok's possible connections to the Chinese government and the possibility that their
information could be accessible to the Chinese government.
To all this, the company byte-dance denies those accusations, saying they had been decided with "no
deliberation or evidence" and accuses the U.S. of using national security as a pretext to oppress
successful foreign companies. Furthermore, TikTok affirms that they have not and will not share U.S.
user data with Chinese authorities.
In addition, content moderation is another important point, as some people are worried about the
type of content that can go viral on TikTok, such as challenges that may be risky or misleading
information. Nevertheless, banning the app not only removes bad content, it also removes the
positive content. This is a worldwide problem since many social media face challenges in
managing content.
Even though banning the app is an actual solution to face those concerns, it depends on several
factors, because a total ban could have negative impacts on freedom expression, besides TiktOK
represents a source of job for thousands of people.
Also, this social media could have mental health impacts, as infinite scrolling, notifications, and
personalized content recommendations keep users continuously engaged, so it can lead to
addictive behaviors.
In contrast to the total prohibition, other countries have opted for different options. For example
Working with TikTok may improve data security practices and content moderation so that, we
could have a more effective long-term strategy. Although it is a complex process, it may allow
users to continue using the platform while facing security and content issues.
In conclusion, it is crucial to balance protecting users' privacy and security with preserving
freedom of expression and digital innovation. Rather than automatically opting for a ban,
governments and companies should explore more collaborative and comprehensive ways to deal
with concerns about TikTok and other similar platforms.