The TikTok Conundrum: Foreign Ownership, Data Privacy, and Social Media Addiction

Steven Scott and Shaun Preece discuss the recent news that President Biden has signed a bill giving TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, nine months to divest the app to a US owner, or it will be blocked in the US.

They explore the concept of divesting and the concerns about TikTok sharing user data with the Chinese government. The hosts also discuss the addictive nature of social media platforms and the potential influence and propaganda spread by foreign-owned apps. They raise questions about the impact of social media on mental health and the issue of American influence on foreign-owned platforms.

They also highlight the broader issue of foreign investment and ownership in various industries, considering the potential implications of banning Chinese-owned social media apps.

The hosts express their skepticism about the US government’s concerns over spying and propaganda and the potential banning of TikTok. They emphasize the addictive quality of social media platforms and its impact on younger generations and family dynamics.