TikTok, the popular short-video app that has captivated millions of users worldwide, is once again facing the possibility of getting banned in the United States, its most profitable market.
The Biden administration is reportedly pressuring TikTok’s Chinese owners, ByteDance, to sell their stake in the app, or risk being shut down from operating in the US market.
This echoes the saga that TikTok experienced in 2020, when former US president Donald Trump tried to force a sale of the application to a US-based company, with Microsoft and Oracle showing interest.
But why have both administrations been so keen on banning an otherwise friendly video-sharing application?
The US government fears TikTok poses a national security risk, as user data could be accessed by the Chinese government and used for malicious purposes.
Some officials have also raised concerns that TikTok could be a tool for spreading propaganda or misinformation to influence American politics and culture.
Resisting the hostility it faces from the US government, TikTok, however, has not given up on its US ambitions.
In fact, it is carrying out a strategic plan to avoid getting banned, by making itself indispensable to the American economy and society.
Here are the three phases of TikTok’s strategy to dodge a nationwide ban and secure its future in the US.