TikTok tries to distance itself from Beijing, but will it be enough to avoid the global blacklist?
TikTok is trying to deflect concerns in Australia and the US over its perceived ties to the Chinese government. Its PR moves, however, may fall short, argue Michael Keane and Haiqing Yu in this crossposting from The Conversation.
TikTok, the made-in-China, video-sharing platform beloved by youth and influencers alike, is suddenly everywhere in our new world of COVID-19 lockdowns and social distancing.
The platform’s growth has been tremendous, but this has come at a cost: it has come under increasing scrutiny from politicians in the US and allies like Australia over concerns about potential breaches of data security and the platform’s perceived ties to the Chinese government.
The Trump administration is now considering banning the platform – and Australia may well follow suit.
The controversies surrounding TikTok are centred around its Chinese origins, and its potential connections or compliance with the Chinese Communist Party and its authoritarian system.
Let’s see how TikTok responds to anti Chinese Government User Generated content.
Easily the best way to see how the AU arm of the brand is still filtered by the Chinese Government.