20.01.2025 18:50
The Chairman of the Board of News.com, Dr. Ekrem Teymur, evaluated the process of banning TikTok in the United States. The restrictions that began during the Trump administration were legalized under Biden. TikTok's data security commitments were rejected by the court. The ban could come into effect on January 19, 2025. According to Teymur, this process is part of the US-China technology war, and competition will increase during Trump's second term.
Chairman of Haberler.com, Dr. Ekrem Teymur, evaluated the process of banning TikTok in the USA and its impact on global technology balances. One of the most notable links in the ongoing technology wars between the USA and China has been the process that resulted in the banning of TikTok in the USA. The China-based social media platform TikTok has a large user base in the USA, just as it does worldwide. However, the fact that this platform is of Chinese origin has ignited national security discussions within the US government.
Initial Steps During the Trump Era
According to Dr. Ekrem Teymur's evaluations, discussions regarding TikTok date back to the era of former US President Donald Trump. During his first presidential term, Trump made many decisions regarding sanctions against China, particularly taking strong steps in the technology sector. Decisions restricting Huawei's access to services like the US-based Google Play Store were significant steps of this period. Similarly, Trump advocated for either the sale of TikTok to a US-based company or its complete ban.
During the Trump era, federal employees were banned from using TikTok, and the installation of TikTok on government devices was prohibited. The use of the platform was restricted in some states, but these steps were not effectively implemented. According to Dr. Teymur, Trump emphasized the strategic importance of US-based technology companies, arguing that platforms like TikTok, which are of Chinese origin, would harm the USA's technological hegemony.
Regulations Established During the Biden Era
During Joe Biden's term, on April 24, 2024, a new law was enacted against the Chinese company ByteDance, which owns TikTok. This law required ByteDance to split its TikTok operations in the USA and either sell the majority shares to a US company or establish a partnership. If these conditions were not met, TikTok was planned to be banned in the USA by January 19, 2025.
ByteDance committed to ensuring the platform's data security by providing various assurances to the US government. It was promised that the data of US users would be stored in US-based data centers and would not be shared with the Chinese government through a partnership with Oracle. However, these steps were not deemed sufficient by the courts, and TikTok's applications were rejected.
Court Decision and Current Status
The US Supreme Court rejected TikTok's application, arguing that the ban violated freedom of expression. With the court's decision, there was no longer an obstacle to the implementation of the ban. As of January 19, 2025, the US administration has the right to ban TikTok.
While TikTok tries to create public awareness by informing its users, American influencers are organizing campaigns in favor of the platform. It is believed that the final decision regarding TikTok will be made after Trump takes office.
Trump's Second Term and the Technology War
According to Dr. Ekrem Teymur, the TikTok debate is part of a larger technological competition between the USA and China. The USA has lost its superiority to China in some strategic areas, such as chip production. This competition may intensify with Trump's second term. Efforts to maintain the USA's technological superiority are critically important for the country to sustain both its commercial and political power. The TikTok ban is seen as an important part of this strategy.
According to Teymur, cornering TikTok is also an effort to prevent the USA from losing even small segments of the social media market it dominates worldwide to another country. Teymur explained this situation by stating, "The fact that social media platforms are entirely owned by US-based companies is crucial for this country, not only economically but also in terms of cultural, political, and social influence and guidance over the world."