Global Controversies Surrounding TikTok: Bans, Investigations, and User Concerns
TikTok faces increasing global scrutiny, with bans in Albania and Australia and investigations in the EU and the US. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced TikTok’s closure for at least a year in Albania due to safety concerns after a school-related incident. The EU’s investigation will focus on how TikTok’s algorithms may facilitate misinformation. The US has mandated its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest by January 19, 2024. Despite its popularity with over 1 billion users, TikTok is criticized for content moderation and potential data privacy violations.