Will TikTok Get Banned in The US?

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Author

Shira Lazar
March 11, 2024

Hello everyone! Happy Sunday. I am in Austin for SXSW; who’s in the area? Here is my schedule of the events and panels I will be speaking on and attending. 

In a recent legislative push, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee passed a bill targeting apps like TikTok, owned by foreign adversaries, citing national security concerns. 

What You Need To Know 

The "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act" could compel TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest or face a ban. 

The U.S. is considering a TikTok ban due to fears that China could use the app to “spy” on Americans or influence U.S. politics. This move, aimed at protecting national security, is part of a larger effort to control foreign tech influence in the U.S. 

TikTok, countering the potential ban, has mobilized its user base to protest, emphasizing the significant impact on businesses, creators, and artists.

Professor Scott Galloway had this to say at SXSW: “My prediction for the next year is that the ban does pass it and on the eve of the banning, they decide to sell it to Western interest and the value doubles, so win-win-win, no one loses their Tik Tok, the value of the enterprise doubles, and we reduce the likelihood of a propaganda security threat. “

🔥My Hot Take: This is a mess and my worry is Gen Z and creators are being used as pons for this fight between the US and Chinese government - who are intrinsically connected to TikTok’s parent company Bytedance- whether we like it or not.

Shira Lazar

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Co-founded by the former COO of Techstars, Zig-Zag AI aims to help those in the startup world. Through collaboration with AI, they enable entrepreneurs to build an entire business validation roadmap in less than 2 minutes.

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Kara Swisher

Kara Swisher, a prominent Silicon Valley journalist who has been covering all things tech and the internet since 1994, explores the dichotomy of technology's impact on society in her latest book, "Burn Book." In this work, she critically examines the trajectories of tech moguls like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, detailing how their once-noble visions have contributed to societal divides and technological mishaps. Through her memoir, Swisher aims to shed light on the unchecked rise of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, urging for accountability and foresight to prevent future technological pitfalls.

Swisher is also known for her popular weekly podcast, On With Kara Swisher.

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