From Teen Trend to Ticking Time Bomb: The Rise of TikTok as a National Security Concern

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If it appears that TikTok has existed forever, that’s likely due to the perception of time on the internet. What remains uncertain is whether it will endure for much longer and, if it does, in what capacity?

Since its inception in 2017, following the merger of the Chinese social video platform with its rival Musical.ly, TikTok has transitioned from a specialized teen application into an influential global trendsetter. Furthermore, it has also surfaced as a potential national security risk, as asserted by U.S. officials.

On April 24, President Joe Biden enacted legislation mandating TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to divest to an American proprietor within one year or cease operations. TikTok and its parent corporation located in China, ByteDance, filed a lawsuit against the U.S., arguing that the security issues were exaggerated and the statute should be abolished as it infringes upon the First Amendment.

The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously reaffirmed the federal statute prohibiting TikTok beginning January 19 unless it is sold by ByteDance.

Here’s the timeline that led TikTok to this point:

ByteDance is established in China by entrepreneur Zhang Yimin. Its initial successful product is Toutiao, a tailored news aggregator for Chinese users.

The startup Musical.ly, recognized later for its namesake application used to publish brief lipsyncing music videos, is founded in China by entrepreneur Alex Zhu.

Musical.ly reaches #1 in the Apple App Store, following a redesign that made the company’s logo noticeable when users distributed their videos.

ByteDance introduces Douyin, a video-sharing application for Chinese users. Its success inspires the firm to develop a version for international users called TikTok.

ByteDance purchases Musical.ly for $1 billion. Nine months later, ByteDance integrates it with TikTok.

With an algorithm designed to promote binge-watching, users start sharing a diverse range of videos on the platform, including dance routines, culinary preparations, and various “challenges” to enact, record, and publish acts that can be serious or humorous.

Rapper Lil Nas X unveils the country-trap track “Old Town Road” on TikTok, where it becomes a sensation and propels the song to a remarkable 17 weeks at the #1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This phenomenon ignites a surge of TikTok clips from musical artists who suddenly recognize TikTok as an essential medium to connect with their audience.

TikTok resolves federal allegations of breaching U.S. child-privacy regulations and consents to a $5.7 million penalty.

The Washington Post reports that while images of Hong Kong democracy demonstrations and police actions are prevalent on various social media platforms, they are noticeably absent on TikTok. The same article points out that posts tagged with #trump2020 amassed over 70 million views.

The organization maintains thatthat TikTok’s content oversight, performed in the U.S., is not accountable and claims the application is a venue for amusement, not governance.

The Guardian reports on internal documents that seemingly outline how TikTok directs its moderators to eliminate or restrict the visibility of videos addressing issues sensitive to China, including the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations and the following massacre, the quest for Tibetan independence, or the recognized religious group Falun Gong.

U.S. lawmakers start to express concerns regarding TikTok’s impact, calling for a federal investigation of its Musical.ly acquisition and a national security inquiry into TikTok and other apps owned by Chinese entities. This investigation commences in November, according to news sources.

The Pentagon advises that all U.S. military members remove TikTok from every device, whether personal or government-issued. Certain branches prohibit the app on military-owned devices. In January, the Pentagon prohibits the application from all military devices.

TikTok becomes the second-most installed app worldwide, as indicated by data from analytics company SensorTower.

Privacy organizations submit a complaint alleging that TikTok continues to violate U.S. child-safeguarding laws and disregards a 2019 settlement agreement. The company asserts that it “takes the issue of safety seriously” and is actively enhancing protective measures.

TikTok appointments former Disney executive Kevin Mayer as its chief executive officer in a notable effort to better its relations in the U.S. Mayer departs three months later.

India imposes a ban on TikTok and numerous other Chinese applications in response to a border conflict with China.

President Donald Trump states he is contemplating banning TikTok as a reprisal for China’s perceived mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Trump issues an extensive but ambiguous executive order prohibiting American firms from any “transaction” with ByteDance and its affiliates, including TikTok. A few days later, he issues a second order demanding that ByteDance divest from TikTok’s U.S. operations within 90 days.

Microsoft confirms it is considering acquiring TikTok. The deal ultimately falls through; a similar proposal from Oracle and Walmart also fails. Meanwhile, TikTok initiates legal action against the Trump administration for purported violations of due process concerning its executive orders.

Joe Biden is declared president. He does not propose fresh policies regarding TikTok and will not assume office until January, but Trump’s intentions to enforce a sale of TikTok begin to disintegrate. The Trump administration prolongs the deadlines it had established for ByteDance and TikTok and eventually lets them lapse entirely.

Newly inaugurated President Joe Biden delays the legal proceedings concerning Trump’s proposal to ban TikTok, effectively halting them.

TikTok declares it has surpassed one billion monthly active users.

A Wall Street Journal article reveals TikTok algorithms can inundate adolescents with an influx of detrimental content such as videos suggesting severe dieting, which constitutes an eating disorder.

TikTok announces updated guidelines to mitigate the dissemination of harmful content such as viral scams and promotion of eating disorders.

“The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical,” a creation by two enthusiasts of the Netflix series as a TikTok project, earns the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album.

TikTok becomes the most downloaded app globally, surpassing Instagram, according to reports from SensorTower.

BuzzFeed reveals that ByteDance employees located in China have repeatedly accessed the private information of TikTok users, based on leaked recordings from over 80 internal TikTok discussions. TikTok replies with a vague statement emphasizing its dedication to security.that fails to directly tackle the BuzzFeed report.

TikTok has also disclosed that it has transferred its user data to U.S. servers overseen by the American tech company Oracle. However, this does not alleviate fresh concerns among U.S. officials regarding the potential for Chinese authorities to access American user data.

FBI Director Christopher Wray expresses national security apprehensions regarding TikTok, cautioning that Chinese officials might manipulate the app’s recommendation algorithm for influence tactics.

ByteDance also announced the termination of four employees who accessed data concerning reporters from BuzzFeed News and The Financial Times while trying to track down leaks of sensitive information about the company.

The White House provides federal agencies with 30 days to ensure TikTok is removed from all government-issued mobile devices. Both the FBI and the Federal Communications Commission caution that ByteDance might share TikTok user data with China’s repressive government.

Legislators question TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew during a six-hour congressional hearing where Chew, originally from Singapore, tries to counter claims that TikTok and ByteDance serve as instruments of the Chinese government.

TikTok announced it was limiting a tool some researchers utilize to scrutinize trending videos on the platform.

A proposal to prohibit TikTok or compel its sale to a U.S. entity gains momentum in Congress. TikTok gathers numerous creators in Washington to urge lawmakers to desist, while highlighting modifications the company has implemented to safeguard user data. TikTok also frustrates legislators by sending alerts to users imploring them to “speak up now” or face the risk of TikTok being banned; users subsequently inundate congressional offices with calls.

The House of Representatives approves the TikTok ban-or-sell legislation.

The Senate mirrors this action, forwarding the bill to President Biden, who endorses it.

TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance take legal action against the U.S. federal government to contest a statute that would necessitate the sale of ByteDance’s interest or face a ban, asserting that the statute is unconstitutional.

Former President Donald Trump signs up for TikTok and begins sharing campaign-related posts.

Vice President Kamala Harris also joins TikTok and starts posting content related to her campaign.

A panel of federal appeals court judges unanimously upheld a statute that could result in a TikTok ban, delivering a significant setback to the widely-used social media app as it battles for its existence in the U.S. The judges dismissed the company’s challenge of the law, which it claimed contradicted the First Amendment.

President-elect Donald Trump requested the Supreme Court to halt the impending TikTok ban from being implemented until his administration can seek a “political resolution” to the matter.

The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the federal law prohibiting TikTok unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company, asserting that the threat to national security posed by its association with China outweighs concerns regarding restricting the app’s speech. A ban is scheduled to be enforced on Jan. 19, 2025.