According to a study by SimilarWeb, an Israeli web analytics company that specializes in web traffic and performance, TikTok is the 3rd most popular iPhone app. TikTok has taken the teenage world by storm, with 32.5% of its over 1 billion users being between the ages of 10-19. TikTok is an app that allows for people to post videos, and for others to watch and interact with those videos. One of the key aspects of TikTok is its algorithm, which will identify the videos you like and try to supply you with more types of those videos. This algorithm has brought TikTok’s respect for its user’s privacy into question, as people wonder what other information TikTok collects. On March 23rd, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Chew testified in front of congress on account of several accusations of a misuse of user information. During this testimony congress rigorously examined the CEO, despite the low public opinion of the line of questioning. Nevertheless, a nationwide ban on TikTok is still an option for the U.S. government. Overall, the entire situation regarding TikTok at the moment is very controversial and raises a lot of ethical questions. Censorship is a slippery and, potentially, unethical slope, so if one app can be censored, where would it end? However, if TikTok is not banned, the users of TikTok are susceptible to a breach of security.
The United States Government is concerned that the Chinese owned iPhone app, TikTok, is stealing information from U.S. citizens and the Chinese are using that information for their own gain. According to an article published on February 28th, 2023, called “Why TikTok is being banned on gov’t phones in US and beyond”, by Halelulya Hadero, on a website called AP News, whispers of this potential security breach frightened the U.S. government. As a result, powerful people in the U.S. government deleted TikTok off of their phones to reduce the chances of sensitive information reaching hostile hands. After stopping a potential breach, the U.S. government decided to go one step further and push for a nationwide ban on the TikTok app. The President at the time, Donald Trump, and his administration attempted to ban TikTok from app stores, but Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, rescinded Trump’s orders. Now, House Republicans are moving forward with a bill that would give President Biden the ability to ban TikTok nationwide. Although TikTok remains active now, its future remains in the air despite the recent hearing upon the app’s real purpose in the modern world.
An article on Reuters, which was published on March 24, 2023, titled “TikTok congressional hearing: CEO Shou Zi Chew grilled by US lawmakers”, by David Shepardson and Rami Ayyub, covered the TikTok Congressional hearing was meant to provide a definite answer to the question of TikTok’s future, in context of whether or not TikTok should be taken down in the U.S. Essentially, Congress wanted to know what information was being accessed, how it was interacted with, and where that information was being stored. Although congress believes otherwise, TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew claimed that the only information that the people at TikTok could collect was that included in public profiles. Chew made the claim that TikTok “[does] not promote or remove content at the request of the Chinese government” after some lawmakers accused TikTok of pushing an agenda. Lastly, Chew explains “Project Texas”, which according to Shepardson and Ayyub’s article, is a security effort that has “nearly 1,500 full-time employees and is contracted with Oracle Corp (ORCL.N) to store TikTok’s U.S. user data”, and how TikTok keeps U.S. information on U.S. soil. Although many believe in Chew’s claims, if there is a possibility of a nationwide breach of security, those in power should not rest until the proper regulations are followed.
Two possible ethical problems are raised in this TikTok situation, one of security, and one of freedom of choice. In the UN Declaration of Human Rights, it is agreed upon that no human will be a victim of an arbitrary interference with that person’s privacy, and many philosophers, like Immanuel Kant, believe that espionage is morally wrong. Philosophers, like John Stuart Mill, also argued passionately for the absolute freedom of being able to have opinions on all subjects. So this situation asks the question, which is more important, the right to privacy, or the freedom to decide if you want an app despite the possible invasion of privacy. Ultimately, I think it is upon each and every American to decide if they want to have TikTok despite the possible breach of privacy. Think about it.
Think About It 
Leave a comment