US-China trade war: How Tiktok ban threatens civil liberties

By Robert Kigongo

On March, 14, the US Congress overwhelmingly voted for the TikTok Ban Bill though the first attempt took place in 2020 at Capitol Hill during the Donald Trump administration with minority voting not in favor of the bill, the majority had the day as it’s outlined in democracy regardless of the facts presented.

In a defense by the Chief Executive of TikTok with over billion monthly active users Shou zi Chew a citizen of Singapore operating in people’s republic of China.

The bill is a total clamp down on civil liberties and the safeguards of democratic principles upon which the US was built.

Dear Ugandans we all live in a global village what has happens in the USA concerns us because we use Tiktok for E-Commerce that earns money, free trade, social entrepreneurship, small scale business, innocuous and fun, Political, social and sports commentary through our own generated Content.

While appearing before the Congress and TED Talk the Shou zi Chew the CEO of TikTok explained how the multibillion dollar operates social media he stated “Tiktok is a platform that gives an everyday person a voice! It’s not just about dancing, singing and fun”;

For example, the Book Talk is a viral trend with 200 billion views globally were people learn cooking, about Science, innovation, research, sports among others before Tiktok, there was nothing like such discoveries but among all.

“The key highlight in Mr Shou zi chew I personally paid attention too and wish to emphasis in this article, is the geopolitical kerfuffle and how TikTok is promoting civil liberties within its virtual global citizens”

TikTok app is the leading social media platform where an ordinary citizen in society with a smart phone and Internet can full exercise his rights and freedoms without government interference.

Something that seems to annoy the world leaders who control the world through premeditated narratives written or stage managed events and news by the state owned traditional medias.

The US that treasures so much civil liberties and democracy upon which it was founded, is at cross roads between protecting civil liberties and its global geopolitical control through science and technology that is now being encroached on by uninvited guest China.

The US Congress perfect excuse of passing the TIkTok ban bill is based on its national security and protecting children against the vises associated with the app.

According to Shou zi Chew, over 170 Million Americans are subscribing to TikTok with 150 million active on the app enjoying the services, making business, having fun and many more.

The US Congress states that Chinese Communist party owns based in Beijing China is using the app sensors that automatically collects personal data over and private information without consent;

For example, accessing personal gadget camera, your personal networks, location, gallery which threatens the privacy of America citizens, military officials and National Security.

The other biggest worry of the US Congress is the TikTok is owned by Bytes Dance Company which allegedly has 100 percent owned by the Chinese Communist Party, that uses Tiktok as its tool of geopolitical entrenchment into gaining control over business and security spying details.

Ordinarily the US being the Super power has been controlling the world through science and technology social platforms and tools,

For example, “all companies collecting our personal data across the world are US based enterprises namely Google, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter(X) Wikipedia, Amazon, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn the list is endless, their monopoly in the business is being threatened by Tiktok”

What is more scaring but undisclosed by US and World leaders is how TikTok is changing the narratives, where governments no longer control our minds as humans and the World through its owned media, this could be the epitome of the sparked the US-China geopolitical kerfuffle?

Before TikTok merging as the major source of information the source governments and world rulers controlled people thoughts and opinions for allegiance and society control.

Basically, “Tiktok is giving an everyday person a voice as expressed by the CEO Shou zi chew where civil liberties, free speech, freedom of expression, right to conscience, right to dissent, economic independence have prevailed”

Whence, supporting citizens from all walks of life across the world to participate in national and global matters that directly affects them in communities, which is enabling civic engagement, civic space, citizen journalism as catalysts of democracy and civil liberties to thrive.

It’s hypocritical, for a country like democratic country like the US, that was established on values and principles of civil liberties and democracy to cramp down a platform TikTok an enabler of the same values and principles.

It’s such a pity that the same congressmen and senators that voted in favor of the ban TikTok bill, use the same App for election campaigns including US President Joe Biden who has an account on TikTok.

“In my opinion is, TikTok is giving every person an opportunity to realise his full potential and discover his talent, innovativeness, creativity but all promoting civil liberties and safeguards of democracy”

My area of contention as a civil liberty and democracy defender with the Ban TikTok legislators at Capitol Hill, is preaching water while drinking wine, its white disturbing to find out that they can’t practice what they preach, the selective banning of TikTok is a witch hunt yet all social media apps have similar threats the US administration is claiming to end.

The biggest threat of TikTok is forced data transfer, mis-information and dis-information, addiction, exposing children to harmful content, spreading hate speech and propaganda, inciting violence and insinuating anarchy but these same challenges are faced by all pay per view platforms and social media apps like X, even the traditional media apps, radio, televisions, print media but the algorithm and firewalls of TikTok has tried it’s best to have safeguards, policies and measures in place.

The restricted age of using TikTok is 13 years of age, the app also restricts illicit behaviors like pornography, violence, videos among others.

Where many videos have been denied, many reported accounts have been suspended therefore banning TikTok is the not only solution to solving the issue of forced data transfer, mis-information and associated vices but rather introducing more restrictive measures.

Unfortunately, the ban on TikTok in the US is a precedent that will be followed by many countries across the world;

However, the Congress and senate in the US must wake up to future dangerous threats,that this bad precedent will be copied and pasted by authoritarianism regimes across the world and weaponise it to cramp down all civic spaces, civil liberties, online trade, human rights and inclusive democracy.

During his TED Talk appearance, the CEO Shou zi chew categorically mentioned, how TikTok applied different versions of different countries depending on the laws and safeguards of a particular country;

For example, the version of Tiktok in the US is different from the UK, the same with majority of countries this means they actually care about host nation interests.

Besides the so many censorships between the Congress the geopolitical contention and super power has surfaced throughout the interviews and cross examination at Capitol Hill with the Congress seeking to expose the ties between Chinese government and TikTok ownership which clearly indicates geopolitical kerfuffle between the two super powers.

The ban TikTok bill doesn’t address the climate crisis, health gaps, national debts, gun crime, drug abuse, housing and accommodation conditions, unemployment among younger people that directly affects people in the US and across the world.

Unfortunately,the ban will worsen the unemployment rate as a direct negative impact on livelihoods especially by those content creators, musicians, artists, small businesses and entrepreneurs who had found a fortunate from the app.

For the virtual political opposition parties, business community and tech-preneurs the Tiktok ban will give powers to executive authorities across the world to ban tech companies with zero congressional oversight, weaponise this as a legislation to profit and silence creatives, artists, content creators, business, political opponents into cross fire.

The US Congress claim of force data transfer by TikTok holds water but doesn’t solve the cyber associated problem entirely, when we still have data brokers who will still use other social media platforms to access any sensitive information needed for transaction;

Therefore, two wrongs don’t make it right, but never the less other mechanisms should be collectively navigated to protect privacy of all persons and National Security.

“The geopolitical kerfuffle between United States and China for super power supremacy should not cramp down a platform that has given opportunities of an open market that has transformed millions of lives across the world”

TikTok with 5.3 billion internet market penetration with 23.02 percent Bytedance’s videos sharing services is number one platform in comparison to X and Facebook that is driving public discourse and challenging the status quo even in my home country Uganda;

For example, Entebbe Airport exhibition, the parliamentary exhibition, Kampala potholes exhibitions, that has influenced and promoted citizenship participation into accountable governance.

The ordinary Ugandan with little literacy knowledge is now fully participating in nation matters in the virtual space.

TikTok platform is now the leading enabling environment promoting civil liberties and all the principles of democracy that the USA strongly advocates at the annual summit for democracy;

For example, citizens are able to peacefully assemble, participate with freedom of expression and Speech voicing out how they want to be governed.

With the selective cramp down of civic space and press freedoms the right to dissent is being exercised on TikTok literally mean suffocating our most fundamental human rights and freedoms that enable civil liberties and democracy to flourish in 21st century.

TikTok is a deterrent to crimes and atrocities where many corruption scandals, graft, civil wars and international conflicts are being exposed and confronted.

Am shocked that if you claim to a democracy deliver, why should you cramp down such a virtual space without weighing the advantages over the disadvantages?

I want to remind you all my fellow Africans, when we protect our civil liberties, human rights and democracy we are actually protecting our own lives and that of our loved ones.

TikTok, should equally answer legitimate concerns and security threats raised by the US Congress especially its conditions to adjust its relationship with the Chinese communist party to divest from Bytedance company in the interest of 4.1 billion times downloaders and 5.3 billion users across the world otherwise the ban will mean a total cramp down on civil liberties and democracy.

Robert Kigongo is a sustainable development analyst and a TikTok subscriber