US Is Blocking Tik-Tok, What Happens Next?

The US Congress recently grilled TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over the app's Chinese ownership, which the Biden administration views as a potential national security threat. Chew defended the ownership and proposed that TikTok's US operations be run by Oracle, a Texas-based tech giant that would store US user data on its servers and monitor how TikTok's algorithms recommend content.

However, the proposed "Project Texas" seems unlikely to convince Congress or President Joe Biden, who are growing increasingly distrustful of China. The proposed US ban on TikTok could accelerate the shift toward deglobalisation, but banning the popular app may prove difficult given its 150 million US users and its popularity among American adults who reportedly spend an average of 56 minutes a day on the platform.