{"id":621,"date":"2024-04-06T22:23:17","date_gmt":"2024-04-06T22:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepatrioticpower.com\/what-tiktok-is-and-why-it-matters-the-havok-journal\/"},"modified":"2024-04-06T22:23:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-06T22:23:20","slug":"what-tiktok-is-and-why-it-matters-the-havok-journal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thepatrioticpower.com\/what-tiktok-is-and-why-it-matters-the-havok-journal\/","title":{"rendered":"What TikTok is and Why it Matters \u2022 The Havok Journal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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by Brendan Cullen<\/em><\/p>\n

TikTok is one of today\u2019s most popular social media platforms. With a global user base of nearly 1.6 billion, the relatively new platform has cemented itself as a leading mobile application amongst well-established media giants (Iqbal, 2023). Without any investigation, it is evident that TikTok has optimized how users engage with content. Other prominent social media platforms have tried to replicate TikTok\u2019s successful design\u2014YouTube\u2019s \u2018Shorts\u2019, Instagram\u2019s \u2018Reels\u2019, Netflix\u2019s \u2018Fast Laughs\u2019, and Snapchat\u2019s updates to how users view \u2018Stories\u2019 are all examples of this mimicry. TikTok has proven itself to be a leading provider of short video-based content and was the most downloaded mobile app worldwide in 2022 (Apptopia, 2023). TikTok\u2019s popularity is highlighted by its prevalence in the United States. As of March of 2023, there were over 150 million active users in the United States, nearly 50% of the country\u2019s population (TikTok Newsroom, 2023). The platform\u2019s growth and success, however, has not gone untouched by controversy.<\/p>\n

Many questions have been raised about TikTok\u2019s extensive collection of user data and its parent company, Chinese media giant ByteDance Ltd. The platform\u2019s integration with American citizens has led U.S. politicians and cyber professionals to question the motive behind the company\u2019s privacy policy and its effects on the nation. Similar concerns have been raised by several European countries, India, and Australia. This thesis seeks to evaluate the validity of recent concerns regarding TikTok\u2019s threat to U.S. National Security. The case study will begin by examining the platform\u2019s history, design, and privacy policy. This introduction highlights the ways in which TikTok is unique from other platforms in today\u2019s social media ecosystem and why the differences are relevant to national security concerns. Lastly, this section will detail the platform\u2019s ties to the People\u2019s Republic of China.<\/p>\n

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