150 million Americans use TikTok for things like dance challenges, makeup tutorials and cooking videos.
The U.S. is considering banning the hugely popular video-sharing app TikTok, over concerns that its Chinese ownership poses a threat to national security.
Today, On Point: Should the U.S. fear TikTok?
Guests
Emily Baker-White, technology reporter and senior writer at Forbes. One of a group of U.S. journalists TikTok’s parent company ByteDance spied on in 2022. (@ebakerwhite)
Jim Lewis, senior vice president and director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. (@james_a_lewis)
Baedri Nichole, TikTok creator. Founder and owner of Coco’s Confectionary Kitchen, a home bakery business. (@backinthekitchenwithbae)
Related Reading
Buzzfeed News: “TikTok Owner ByteDance Used A News App On Millions Of Phones To Push Pro-China Messages, Ex-Employees Say” — “Former employees claim the company placed pieces of pro-China content in its now-defunct US news app, TopBuzz, and censored negative stories about the Chinese government. ByteDance says it did no such thing.”
Los Angeles Times: “For some, TikTok is a path to riches and the American dream. With a ban, it could all disappear” — “When Lauren Wyman felt crushed under the weight of her corporate finance job in 2019, she found solace in launching a small goth and alternative clothing business.”
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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