America is right to tackle TikTok, but they’re doing it for the wrong reasons

Parents horrified at some of the destructive content on TikTok are ultimately unlikely to have their hopes realised, warns James Moore. Even if this United States bill does shut down the app, creators and users will simply go elsewhere

America’s House of Representatives have passed a bill to ‘ban’ TikTok (AFP via Getty Images)

A “ban” on TikTok – Gen Z’s favourite source of news, entertainment, triviality and (sometimes) dangerous stunts – is firmly back on the agenda. A bill has passed the US House of Representatives, with (rare) bipartisan support, on a 352-to-65 vote. It now moves to the Senate, where influential legislators on both sides of the aisle have spoken in favour.

So, might we expect to see it pass?

That’s certainly the intention of Mark Warner, the Democratic chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee – and Marco Rubio, his Republican vice chair – who released a joint statement in support of the ban, highlighting their concern about the “national security threat posed by TikTok” and promising to work together to get it passed in the Senate – and signed into law.