The Trump administrationsrecently announcedbans on Chinese-owned social media platformsTikTokandWeChatcould have unintended consequences.
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But banning the apps andrequiring Chinese divestiturealso has a national security downside.
Itdamages the U.S.s moral authorityto push for free speech and democracy abroad.
TikToks terms of service dosay that it can share informationwith its China-based corporate parent, ByteDance.
Theorder against WeChatis similar.
It also mentions that the app captures the personal and proprietary information of Chinese nationals visiting the United States.
WhileTikTokandWeChatdo raise cybersecurity concerns, they are not significantly different from those raised by other smart phone apps.
Both TikTok and WeChat are communications channels and TikTok publishes and hosts content.
National security is a legitimate governmental interest.
However, in my opinion its questionablewhether a real national security concern existswith these specific apps.
These includeEgypt,Hong Kong,Turkey,Turkmenistan,North Korea,Iran,Belarus,RussiaandChina.
Social media gives freedom fighters, protesters and dissidents all over the world a voice.
It enables citizens to voice concerns andorganize protestsaboutmonarchies,sexualand otherhuman rights abuses,discriminatory lawsandcivil rightsviolations.
Whenauthoritariangovernments clamp down on dissent, they frequentlytargetsocial media.
China and the U.S. have already gone through a cycle ofreciprocal company banning, in addition toreciprocal consulate closures.
Over a dozen U.S. companiesurged the White Housenot to ban WeChat because it would hurt their business in China.
These trade restrictions harm the U.S.smoral authority,harm the global economyandstifle innovation.
They also cut U.S. firms off from thehigh-growth Chinese market.
The issues could be solved through better oversight and the enactment of privacy laws that could otherwise benefit Americans.
Of course, the government could have other causes for concern that it hasnt yet made public.
If not, Id argue less drastic action would be more appropriate and better serve the American people.
