Nearly half of American adults favor a prohibition on the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, according to a new survey conducted by Reuters/Ipsos. The poll also examined public sentiment regarding national security issues and China.
TikTok, which is operated by the Chinese company ByteDance and boasts tens of millions of American users, has been under scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers who are advocating for a nationwide ban due to concerns about potential Chinese government influence.
In the two-day survey that wrapped up on Tuesday, 47 percent of participants indicated they at least somewhat supported a ban on TikTok in the United States. Meanwhile, 36 percent opposed such a ban, and 17 percent were undecided.
The data further revealed that 58 percent of Republican respondents were in favor of a ban, compared to 47 percent of Democrats.
Amid plunging U.S.-China relations, the survey highlighted significant apprehensions among Americans regarding China’s influence on a global scale.
The online poll, which surveyed 1,005 adults nationwide, including 443 Democrats and 346 Republicans, carried a credibility interval of about four percentage points in either direction.
FBI Director Christopher Wray warned in March that TikTok could be utilized by the Chinese government to gain control over software on millions of devices, potentially manipulating narratives to create divisions among Americans. He described the app as embodying significant national security concerns.
Other high-ranking U.S. intelligence officials, such as CIA Director William Burns, have echoed these concerns, labeling TikTok a potential threat.
In response, TikTok released a statement emphasizing that more than 150 million Americans, including 5 million businesses, actively use the platform for various purposes, from earning a living to fostering community engagement.
“We have undertaken unprecedented measures to protect U.S. user data and will continue to prioritize creating a safe, secure, and inclusive environment for our users across the nation,” a TikTok spokesperson stated.
Meanwhile, efforts to grant the Biden administration enhanced powers to ban TikTok have seen stagnation in Congress. Recently, U.S. lawmakers signaled they might consider amendments to address concerns surrounding the proposal.
The TikTok debate could emerge as a key issue for Republicans leading into the 2024 presidential campaign, with some candidates endorsing a ban on the app.
Former President Donald Trump attempted to prohibit new downloads of TikTok in 2020, but a string of court rulings prevented the ban from being enforced.
Florida Governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has expressed his support for implementing a national ban on the platform.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
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