Non-TikTok Users Believe Platform Poses National Security Risk
The ongoing efforts to portray TikTok as a potential threat to national security seem to be having an impact, although it is not universally felt. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 59 percent of American adults view TikTok as a danger. However, this perception differs depending on whether individuals use the platform or not. Only nine percent of TikTok users consider it a significant threat, while 36 percent of non-users share the same concern. Overall, 42 percent of users perceive some level of risk associated with the service, whereas 65 percent of non-users express worry.
It is not surprising to learn that age plays a significant role in the perception of TikTok. Only 49 percent of users under the age of 30 see TikTok as a threat (only 13 percent as a great threat), but the numbers rise with the older demographic. About 65 percent of over-65s are nervous about TikTok, and 46 percent of this group see it as a critical threat. Politics is also a factor. A whopping 76 percent of conservatives are concerned, while 49 percent of liberals agree.
About 64 percent of American adults are at least somewhat concerned about TikTok’s data processing practices, Pew adds. The figures again vary by age. Only 54 percent of those under 30 think so, while 75 percent of those over 65 are worried.
The study came just as Montana passed a law banning TikTok in the state, and long after politicians from both major U.S. parties called for national bans. The platform is already banned in most federal facilities. The reasons are often similar. Officials are concerned that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, may be feeding American users’ data to the Chinese government or influencing algorithms to spread Chinese propaganda.
TikTok has repeatedly denied Chinese government influence and has taken several steps to appease US politicians. It stores US data domestically, offers transparency in its code and fires staff who misuse sensitive data. But those measures haven’t done much to reassure government officials — and Pew data suggests the public is just as wary.
