TikTok faces Global Scrutiny over controversies, bans

TikTok’s meteoric rise from a niche video-sharing app to a global social media giant has faced mounting scrutiny, particularly over its ties to China.

In Washington, the platform has been accused of enabling espionage. ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, admitted that employees in China had accessed American users’ data but denied sharing it with authorities. Despite this, the US passed legislation requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok by January 2025 or face a nationwide ban.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced a one-year TikTok ban starting in 2025, citing its role in inciting a deadly altercation between teenagers.

The EU is investigating claims that TikTok favoured a far-right Romanian presidential candidate. It’s the third such inquiry into the platform, which risks hefty fines for alleged election interference.

Australia has banned under-16s from using social media, including TikTok, under new legislation imposing significant fines on non-compliant companies.

The app has faced criticism for spreading harmful challenges and misinformation. Studies revealed a fifth of videos on current events, like the Ukraine war, contained falsehoods. TikTok collaborates with fact-checkers to moderate such content.

Despite its controversies, TikTok’s editing tools, algorithms, and massive creator base continue to fuel its global dominance.