A poll reveals that a substantial portion of Americans are in favor of a TikTok ban, with nearly half supporting the idea.

 

The survey also unveiled significant concerns among Americans regarding China's worldwide influence.

According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey, nearly half of American adults, approximately 47 percent, are in favor of banning the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok. The survey, which also delved into national security apprehensions and concerns about China, gathered responses over a two-day period, concluding on Tuesday.

TikTok, owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance, is utilized by millions of Americans. It has come under scrutiny from US lawmakers who advocate for a nationwide ban due to apprehensions about potential influence from the Chinese government.

Of the respondents, 47 percent expressed some level of support for "prohibiting the use of the social media app TikTok in the United States." Meanwhile, 36 percent were against the idea of a ban, and 17 percent were uncertain about their stance.

Fifty-eight percent of Republicans favoured a ban, compared to 47 percent of Democrats, the poll showed.

The survey also unveiled significant concerns among Americans regarding China's worldwide influence, coinciding with a period of historically low US-China relations.

Conducted online by Reuters/Ipsos on a national scale, the poll garnered input from 1,005 adults, comprising 443 Democrats and 346 Republicans. Its credibility interval, indicative of precision, was approximately 4 percentage points in both directions.

FBI Director Christopher Wray stated in March that the Chinese government might exploit TikTok to manipulate software on countless devices and promote narratives aimed at polarizing Americans. He emphasized that the app strongly signals national security apprehensions.

Other prominent US intelligence figures, such as CIA Director William Burns, have similarly expressed concerns about the risks posed by TikTok.

TikTok responded with a statement asserting that over 150 million Americans, encompassing 5 million US businesses, actively utilize the platform to earn a livelihood, participate in educational settings, and connect with a community.

"We have taken unprecedented measures to protect the data of our U.S. users, and we will continue our efforts to construct a secure, safe, and inclusive platform to ensure a positive user experience across the nation," stated a spokesperson from TikTok.

Efforts to grant the Biden administration enhanced authority for potentially banning TikTok have encountered obstacles in Congress. Lawmakers in the US announced last month that they were considering amendments to address concerns related to the proposed legislation.

Nevertheless, this matter could gain prominence within the 2024 US presidential campaign, with certain Republican candidates endorsing the idea of a TikTok ban.

In 2020, former President Donald Trump attempted to prohibit new downloads of TikTok, but a sequence of court rulings prevented the ban from being enforced.

Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has expressed his support for implementing some form of national ban on the app.