Is the U.S. about to ban TikTok? | About That

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that many say could lead to the end of TikTok in the country. About That producer Lauren Bird breaks down the bill, its constitutionality and what it could mean for app users if it becomes law.
CORRECTION (March 14, 2024): A previous version of this video incorrectly identified Seth Moulton as a Republican Representative. In fact, Moulton is a Democratic Representative. His title at 3:00 has been blurred.
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[@_Francis]

US authorities worrying about audiences being exposed to propaganda, that's rich 🤣

[@nisahmed9121]

So if they think TikTok is a foreign intelligence tool to brain wash Americans , why are they allowing Hollywood which is brainwashing Americans and we know the foreign body that controls it!

[@MarieFara]

China does not allow U.S. social media btw

[@miles5600]

They also don’t allow European social media

[@GIN.356.A]

China has an authoritarian government. Does the US also have an authoritarian government?

[@lc8850]

For the same reason.

[@TLiu-1b]

Are you implying the US is just as evil?

[@ziyu8061]

lol we literally don't allow any non-Chinese social media

[@BIBIWCICC]

The real reason is the ADL petitioned the gov. due to the majority of TikTok young users supporting Palestine and not Israel’s genocide.

[@cz2301]

If the law is passed in the Senate, a lot of these kids will have to go back to school. Or to McDonald’s.

[@The0utspoken]

What, do you think young adults are on tik tok all day? Maybe some, but that’s like saying all boomers spend all day on Facebook on. You have zero critical thinking skills.

[@giu4295]

Theyll go to china i guess

[@robertjames6890]

As a Christian from the USA myself I sure as HELL hope that TikTok is banned in the USA in the Senate. There should be $10,000 in criminal fines per U.S. download of the Chinese app. WTH?!?!

[@user-rh2tq1xe1i]

​@@giu4295 Majority of americans cannot handle china. They will be lost forever

[@The0utspoken]

@@giu4295 troll account

[@TheGiggityG]

Regulating social media is a must, not banning ONE platform.

[@kmama6715]

Regulating food safety is a must, and when some food is toxic, you ban it.

[@Hoovie9596]

Social media is TOXIC. ban it all

[@lilithcampbell2112]

Maybe don't hand out tablets to a toddler every chance you get and then parents sticking their face into their own phone. Where's the parenting and discipline???

[@miles5600]

@@kmama6715oh like how certain artificial coloring still isn’t banned by the FDA even though there’s no proof if it being safe? And chlorine washed chicken? Sure the government isn’t corrupt loll

[@powerrising4933]

It's about GAZA，tiktok doesn't censor Gaza videos.

[@Metryingatlife]

I am deeply sad about this. I learned more about rental rights, legal rights and news through TikTok.

[@user-uc7xx3ix4f]

Sounds like you need to get off tik tok and start reading about things you're interested in elsewhere.

[@PlayTendo-gaming]

Ban it and you can learn all that by reading a book

[@One_In_Training]

This is the real life version of the South Park Chimpokomon episode. You cannot ban it. You need to make it uncool to be on. Remove the value that people place on it and it will starve it of the fuel that keeps it running.

[@willow1698]

But how? It's won over the minds of so many zombified teens. It's just going to switch to Instagram Reels anyway

[@user-vc4zm9hq2f]

If you can't compete, Ban them.

[@jeezymay]

Or steal it

[@grejen711]

OMG whatever would Americans do without an App that didn't exist a decade ago. Wow?!

[@HCAZS]

Brain rot take from someone that doesn't even bother to read the bill.

[@ethanivan9347]

not rlly what this is abt lol.

[@jordie00bogart]

@19mafia84 Than* 'then' is used for 'time' and 'than' is used for comparisons.

[@fallingpizza11]

​@19mafia84you obviously didnt read the bill. theres no language in there that says anything about domestic platforms, its just adding legislation about foriegn owned ones.

[@birdpainter452]

The heat on tik tok got intense after October 7th. I wonder why?

[@JusticeAlways]

Oct 7th ? What's special about that date?

[@mwqjdpk]

The world’s only superpower is so afraid of TikTok.

[@willow1698]

Because look at how much power it has over people?

[@Wow4.0]

Ever herd of communism

[@mwqjdpk]

@@Wow4.0 why you're afraid?

[@mwqjdpk]

@@willow1698 and Facebook doesn't?

[@azulaquaza4916]

@@mwqjdpkBrain rot of our youth, you should be worried

[@investined]

This about power and control they cant control the youth so they fid this

[@91hiace]

The war mongers must be delighted.

[@dynasty5053]

Block Google and Facebook instead

[@gordonc3600]

"Hey kid, nice business you built up there. Hand it over to me, I'll give you a dollar for it"

[@narniabusiness7810]

Except the kid is the Chinese government

[@dazzlette]

So much for democracy. People don’t want their representatives to do something, but their representatives do it anyway

[@willow1698]

They don't know why they don't want their representatives to do something. Plus, this isn't democracy. Hasn't been for a while.

[@murrethmedia]

First they came for TikTok...

[@lisaandmatthieu4570]

A friend of mine suggested that many of the politicians have shares in META and that if they can force TikTok to shut down is interesting. Also can we honestly believe that all other apps aren’t collecting our information!

[@dangermauz754]

I can't imagine being young in this era, and being forced to watch television. The news even regurgitates the same thing for 365 days straight. 😅

[@happyxu416]

in the end, the difference between China and USA is not that much

[@PhantomOfManyTopics]

VPN

[@GIN.356.A]

Champions of free speech, until someone else does it better. FOH 😂😂😂

[@Mountain-Man-3000]

Nothing to do with free speech.

[@GIN.356.A]

@@Mountain-Man-3000 it's censorship. How is it not related to freedom of speech?

[@giu4295]

​@@GIN.356.Acensorship ? Oh no they're censoring the chinese spies and narrative manipulators that are making children brain dead.

[@Hydrosized]

Ya right

[@user-ig3tj4nr4h]

Its very funny to think they are trying to ban tiktok yet they don't ban their citizen from having gun 😂😂😂😂

[@jptrainor]

So is this the "rules based order"?

[@LilyEvans1996]

honestly i am not opposed to getting rid of tiktok. f tiktok tbh

[@howso5302]

Robbers sons will also be robbers, their grandfather robbed the world

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

First Amendment: Congress shall make no law regarding... Tic Toc is protected.

[@haeunpark7185]

Wow, imagine if hoardes of people jammed the phone lines to demand a ceasefire in Palestine...

[@santostv.]

The USA supports Israel because Israel works for the USA so there’s nothing the world can do

[@blizzard1198]

Should show you how they don't care.

[@CUMBICA1970]

This has some vibe of Elvis telling Nixon the Beatles are a bad influence to American youth haha

[@uthgard123]

so if the american goverment asks tiktok to provide information.. would they say no?

[@Mountain-Man-3000]

The thing is there's a legal process for doing that in developed democracies. It's not just the whims of a dictator.

[@aderinolamiju]

@@Mountain-Man-3000acting like the nsa affair didnt happen. was that democratic?

[@seiwarriors]

Yo if this goes then all these ticktockers will be on insta and other platforms or there will be a another booming app which obviously be an american app.

[@mysl1234]

They should ban gun 🔫 first. Gun is more dangerous than an app

[@Coss_logan]

Gen Z facing the horrors of touching grass

[@jessed0308]

lol

[@hedgehog1684]

goodbye tiktok good ridance

[@garybeaton3802]

CBC 'About That' has turned the comment section on. This is the first time I have seen content where Canadians are allowed their opinion. How About That!

[@tilleytristan]

Imagine the CCP had a volume knob for your voice. Taking that away is unconstitutional? Come on. Should have been banned ages ago

[@441meatloaf]

Why? No one is forcing you to use social apps lol.

[@buildingblissnz7543]

​@@441meatloaf Why do you think China put a hard limit on it's own populations use of TikTok whilst in other countries it 's available 24/7. Social media apps + algorithms + misinformation or disinformation and/or general brain rot content = nation destabilising weapon. You're essentially eroding a country and culture from the inside out and reprogramming their children at distance Ask China why they didn't let Facebook behind their iron wall....because they know how dangerous these apps really are. Huawei and TikTok are modern weapons built for modern warfare. No country should use ANY externally created app without forensically deconstructing the source code. It's no different to locking your front door with 5 deadbolts yet you leave all your windows wide open. Your Smartphone can appear to be off but still have the mic and the camera activated remotely a.k.a from another country. 99.9% intelligence gathering is done all through technology. If you want privacy, take the battery and SIM card out the phone, and leave it in the other room. Why did Bill Gates really call his famous operating system "Windows" and NOT "Doors"? Makes you think doesn't it.

[@tortlani]

Spot on!

[@JasperMorgan1]

AS SHOULD CANADA

[@danayithabte4733]

All over the world especially for young kids

[@mikestewart4752]

AMEN!!!

[@ericyuan9718]

Trudeau has already sold Canada to the CCP.

[@tilleytristan]

Not sure you got the memo, but the CCP has full access to all our sensitive and classified data, they even have police stations all over Canada.

[@johngalt3940]

Would you allow Russia to have ownership of the largest most popular social network?

[@freddycantillo1993]

Same thing with facebook 😂😂😂 they need to ban it

[@tristans.mitchell6682]

A ridiculous notion that a single app is a means of protecting the 1st amendment rights of Americans.

[@blizzard1198]

It's not a means but it is the idea that they can do this for anything else as long as they use the same logic

[@greatlambrini8722]

Yes please. Next Facebook.

[@mirzapa]

Please. Ban it. It’s making kids dumber

[@collectorguy3919]

TickTok and social media are terrible, but censorship could be worse. The least worst thing is to regulate social media with clear boundaries, but if they refuse to co-operate then the government must use it's teeth. The same is true for any industry. The "debate" on TickTok is very telling, because they characterize it as a ban rather than regulation. TickTok has benefits too, but the way they use gullible people is troubling. (everyone is gullible, you, me, everyone) They also fill a void in American media, talking about the genocide in Gaza, and American ownership would put an end to that.

[@tortlani]

This is not censorship. They could sell the company in the US and tiktok would operate just as is, but would stop being a spyware.

[@John.F_Kennedy]

A Canadian company should buy it.

[@Gypseygirls]

Omg. Right 💯 ❤

[@freedomruss]

Rumble just might.

[@mikeedwards1768]

long long well overdue...

[@aceofspadea5825]

Nothing wrong with TikTok. Maybe facebook

[@krispayne729]

You know what it was the best bill that the US has to representatives of ever passed now Democratic supporters in the United States are going to be very upset because Tik Tok is their rapid choice government Tick Tock it's banned in Canada

[@AK-lx9ny]

But let's keep Only fan

[@krabzmorningstar6240]

Should be banned. The amount of teenagers nowadays that virtually don’t have an attention span is astronomical.

[@Harz604]

I think it’s a bit overblown to blame the entire generations problem on one app. If lawmakers r really worried about kids or really worried about privacy they would create a bill to target ALL social media (eg raising minimum age for users, limiting screentime for kids) not just this one particular one.

[@The0utspoken]

Compared the amount of middle aged/old people who give the lead paint stare at “please remove card” 😂 teenagers aren’t any different from other ages groups, you just don’t know anything about sociology or how generational differences manifest.

[@5plus4]

​@@The0utspokenit's a problem.

[@santostv.]

So you want to be more like china?

[@Mountain-Man-3000]

@@The0utspokenIncorrect.

[@punkrachmaninoff]

Canada should ban TikTok trash also. And Temu.

[@grejen711]

What would be wrong with the US government informing people of the dangers?

[@CadyCadwell]

I could agree more, infact all major democratic national should banned tiktok. we witness how tiktok influence the Indonesian election.

[@Mountain-Man-3000]

@@grejen711One of the large dangers is the Chinese dictator that can make a phone call and have hundreds of millions of spy devices inside another country. You can't mitigate that risk with a warning.

[@donnamak3880]

There's no need, just don't use them, no one is making you use them. Why take away other people's freedom?

[@Negev-Israel]

Then they will shift to KZbin shorts lol. 😂

[@nancyneyedly4587]

A big Republican party donor has billions tied up in TikTok's parent company, this is why suddenly Trump is reversing his idea that TikTok should be banned. So it should be interesting to see if this goes in favour of big business or the safety of the country.

[@lroche3262]

The banned won’t affect producer, there’s also instagram, KZbin, X and etc. Tik Tok isn’t only one people can use for social media, but is certainly the most untrustworthy.

[@jeezymay]

Bunch of bots in this video's comments

[@joytimmons]

Good. You do not need it.

[@outdoorfantastics8369]

Shut it down!!!

[@rico7637]

What's tiktok?

[@jhamara647]

CBC, your mandate is to provide Canadian content. Literally every single US network is reporting on this.

[@johnchieze530]

this tik tok thing is as american as mom, apple pie and chevrolet, that's made in china

[@al3220]

FINALLY. I am Gen Y and can say TikTok really is a security risk.

[@rivensleyanelas4890]

Why?

[@CadyCadwell]

@@rivensleyanelas4890 you're not educated enough to make informed decisions or criticality thinking about this matter? what are 12?

[@santostv.]

Do you think usa apps are any better?

[@rivensleyanelas4890]

@@CadyCadwell they only banning tiktok because they can't control it 😂

[@freedomruss]

This bill covers everything on the internet, including VPN providers. This bill gives the Fed the ability to shut down any and all online content they deem unfit for consumption. It's overreach and TikTok is just the wool they are pulling over your eyes to disguise the truth.

[@romeoandjuliet6522]

Don't ban KZbin other wise life will be so boring i Don't like tik tok but KZbin is so important now days people don't talk to each other

[@scottmercer3260]

...Ummm...it's a national security issue...

[@tabithan2978]

Censorship! Plain and simple. Unconstitutional!

[@scarletsimpson4807]

Tik tok is a security threat to israel. Its to protect the masses from uncensored war crimes of israel on Palestinians and change their view of israel

[@The0utspoken]

Spoiler alert, this isn’t about the app. It’s about the fact that they don’t have control on the app. If any one supports this bill then you’re also saying you prefer a world where everything is federally controlled and regulated through the government. Because our government institutions are doing so well already, right 😅

[@cptkirkp]

controlling public discourse

[@user-fb7ss5vv7p]

My phone was hacked through tic toc I am glad its getting banned🎉

[@The0utspoken]

Sure it was, buddy.

[@pyRoy6]

I'm not sure if it should be banned...but I'm still a bit surprised that it hasn't been sold already. It's worth a tonne, and you'd think it will become even more profitable if sold to Microsoft or whoever wanted to buy it. Sounds like a win-win-win situation that would side-step all of the ethical/legal questions.

[@santostv.]

Tik tok is not profitable, the only thing worth money is the algorithm and some data

[@pyRoy6]

@@santostv. I guess that's likely true. But that means it's ripe for profitability, no? Especially with American ownership. And I suppose this ought to make us wonder why Bytedance has been reluctant to sell...[dun dun dunnnn]

[@kevinlin4895]

LMFAO.. American ownership will make it better? Have you forgotten FB and other SM's recent attempt to trying to replicate Tiktok? How well did that work out? As hard as it may be for some in the west to fathom, Chinese has some awesome tech that is superior to what's in the west.

[@pyRoy6]

@@kevinlin4895 No that's not what I mean. Specifically in the context of the potential ban, I'm supposing that the country of ownership is holding it back. The developers obviously had the knowledge and technology to create an effective platform.

[@CJFreeza]

It's like teenagers being told their allowance has ended and now they have to get real work.

[@MrHighfiveit]

this probably the best thing they can do tbh if america wants a fair election

[@BIbiVstf3sx]

Good, shut this garbage down

[@Alanom2007]

Countries have already banned TikTok, India did it and they seem to be doing fine.

[@ThisAuthenticVibe]

👍

[@yhh8427]

It means that the United States itself does not believe in its own Democracy and Human Rights, so it bans the use of TikTok in the United States. Like KZbin, Tik Tok is just a "platform" that is easy to use. The users are people from the United States and all over the world. Doing good or bad things has nothing to do with TikTok.

[@Hoovie9596]

Good. BAN IT IN CANADA TOO

[@abdulrahamshabazz4903]

I hope tiktok goes

[@ellens2454]

why all you oldies in the comment section want it banned? seems like you guys are harbouring lots of hatred towards us gen z for some weird reason? 😆

[@delftfietser]

They might have good reason. You might have good reason for it not to be banned. One or both sides could also be wrong.

[@ellens2454]

@@delftfietser I think they are just glad it’s gonna be banned somehow they are happy that we are gonna be sad, this stretches beyond the app itself

[@freedomruss]

TikTok isn't the target. The target is freedom of speech and freedom of association. This bill infringes upon those rights. They use "national security " as the reason...an obvious psy ops.

[@ar6888]

They should have banned TicTok years ago just based on how cringe it is.

[@MR.GENTLEMAN_YT]

The crazy thing is that all these years I wanted TikTok banned. Then in the past 2 months I thought to give it a try and made a good amount of money in and followers in that short time and was like “hold up, maybe it’s not that bad😮 Surely nothing bad will happen” and now they’re gonna ban it the second I stop being a hater of it

[@birdeyecloud6801]

Tik Tok is the best social media. If US thought they can't complete Tik Tok, it might be banned.

[@vincenthuang3345]

Tiktok should be banned to avoid America's Spring?

[@crystalidx]

THANK GOODNESS !!! ALL THE EGOCENTRIC PEOPLE CAN CRY !!!

[@kens805]

Who cares??

[@Gypseygirls]

I love TT. App..❤

[@SD-gp1gu]

All short videos are brain drain. Ban all in North America?

[@PassionMTAR6]

Yall just cant say Palesteeen and the fact that the ADL just mentioned they are losing the propaganda war on Tik Tok. CBC maaaad rasceest

[@user-fb7ss5vv7p]

Yeah convenient timing

[@santostv.]

What has Palestine anything to do with usa social media company losing to a Chinese one? Palestine will never be helped until the usa widraw support that will be never because Israel knows a lot of usa secrets.

[@user-vy9ve1ow4n]

Why take away tik tok.our on government watch us all the time Leave them alone.

[@abdulrahamshabazz4903]

Quote: it is USA government job to protect the USA and it's people. With Democrats and Biden administration, it is hard to say USA is protected! I never used tictok. I do not like this forms of apps. If tictok wants to be a business. Let it run in China. China has 1 billion population. USA population is over 350 million. Keep tictok in China.

[@abdulrahamshabazz4903]

Quote: it is USA government job to protect the USA and it's people. With Democrats and Biden administration, it is hard to say USA is protected! I never used tictok. I do not like this forms of apps. If tictok wants to be a business. Let it run in China. China has 1 billion population. USA population is over 350 million. Keep tictok in China.

[@avataraustin1]

Bye tiktok😂😂😂😂

[@suvignanpothuraju8350]

Ban the tik tok .

[@tabithan2978]

Elon Musk is a despicable character. Twitter is dead.

[@jayb8525]

What did you invent?

[@tabithan2978]

@@jayb8525 Just because you invent something doesn’t make you a good person. Lots of evil inventions throughout history, atom bomb, torture instruments, thalidomide, lead paint, etc.

[@jayb8525]

@JsonXYZ you are certainly allowed to have an opinion on whatever you want. I just highly doubt it is an educated one. What do you think is so despicable about Elon Musk? Is it that he is one of the most brilliant people of our time? Is it that he has created and runs multiple companies that better humanity? Is it that he fired Twiiter staff who never should have been employed there to begin with? Our is it that he stands up for free speech and does not censor people based on what they say? To be clear, the word despicable is a word to describe war criminals, child molesters, murderes.

[@tabithan2978]

@@jayb8525 🤣🤣🤣 Ask Don lemon if he thinks Elon musk is all for free speech!

[@gordonc3600]

The comments tell me that CBC audience are all Generation X, bitter that they got left behind by technology

[@Hoovie9596]

No. We just know it’s Toxic. All social media is bad In the long term you’ll see thst too

[@user-sp4rt5jx9f]

Chinese tiktok are collected our information it must be banned.

[@svc2461]

CBC Trying hard to help its bosses in CCP.

[@OccultVolcano]

Thank God!!! TikTok is the grossest thing I've ever seen. This is a major step in the right direction.

[@ericyuan9718]

Hilariously ironic that the CBC is talking about censorship when that is all Trudeau wants to do here.

[@emma8821]

Good. Tik tok is such a superfluous waste of time. Good riddance.

[@KingBowser77766]

TIK TOK WILL SHUT DOWN, THOSE USERS ARE WRONG, GO AHEAD TO TOUCH GRASS AND USE OTHER APPS

[@edgardmahugnon3333]

Tiktokers need to find better hobbies. Tiktok is ruining some people to encourage other people with laziness. Congress should allow Tiktok for some refund back to gifters or donors...

[@lovelivelaugh4542]

india and other countries banned tiktok for all the same reason, so we should too.

[@Meeksballs]

Say goodbye to Facebook and Instagram if Bill c63 passes in Canada!

[@jayb8525]

Hopefully

[@CheaplaffsJohnson]

Good! Maybe, over time, we can then return to civility

[@ryleneguiltry8873]

So you are fine with Tok ban also?

[@WeTheDylan]

lol not even close. Meta has said they’re in support of the bill. What it will do though is make it a crime to spew hate speech online and create sentencing guidelines for those that do that and bully people.

[@Hoovie9596]

Good. I’m all for it