With a potential US ban of the app looming, TikTok has gone on the offensive, by publishing numerous accounts of how TikTok has helped US companies, and the American financial system extra broadly, whereas it’s additionally assembly with key advert companions to supply them with explainers and notes, so as to dispel issues about its potential hyperlinks to the Chinese language Authorities.

Which is unlikely to affect the US politicians and lawmakers making a call on the app. However nonetheless, determined instances…

Over the previous week, TikTok has amplified a variety of tales of how the platform has helped common Individuals flip their hobbies into companies via the app.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has additionally posted two movies to the primary TikTok channel within the app, wherein he calls on customers for assist in lobbying their native representatives to avoid wasting the app.

These measures present simply how shut a TikTok ban seemingly is, with the platform doing all that it will possibly to handle issues, and sway opinions concerning the app.

Which appears considerably counter-intuitive. If one of many key issues about TikTok is that the Chinese language Authorities might theoretically use it to affect folks’s opinions, in an effort to shift public coverage in different nations, then utilizing it for precisely that goal appears to, possibly, spotlight that potential, versus quelling it?

Both means, TikTok’s pulling out all of the stops, because it scrambles to avoid wasting its enterprise, or be compelled into an costly and troublesome – possibly unattainable -sell-off course of.

As per Digiday, TikTok’s additionally been assembly with key advert companions to current them with extra info on the important thing issues concerning the app.

That is a part of a 5-page Q and A doc that TikTok’s been offering to advertisers, which addresses a variety of queries concerning the app.

The responses listed below are what you’ve seemingly learn earlier than – TikTok is below US and Singaporean administration, TikTok doesn’t censor content material on behalf of the CCP, China-based employees will quickly be unable to entry US person info. The doc addresses all the important thing queries, however the solutions on at the least some parts stay unconvincing, particularly with regard to Chinese language employees accessing American person data, which has occurred up to now.

However is that sufficient for TikTok to be banned?

Look, in some functions, it is smart for TikTok to be restricted, notably in the case of the units owned by authorities staff and individuals who might, theoretically, be inclined to coercion by way of TikTok information for nefarious means.

Amid rising international tensions, fueled by China’s ongoing help of Russia, and its continued aggression in direction of neighboring nations, there are clear issues round publicity on this respect, and it does make sense, in that broader context, that TikTok needs to be restricted, at the least till there’s some assurance that its US information separation mission (‘Challenge Texas’) is operative.

There’s a broader query, then, round how all social apps observe person information, and use that for their very own functions. Given the state of geopolitical affairs, I’m unsure that query, particularly, relates on this occasion, however there’s clearly a case to be made for broader regulation of person information, and the way social platforms make the most of such.

Both means, the choice, actually, is out of our arms, with US officers now weighing their subsequent steps on the app.