Could TikTok also be banned in Europe? President of the European Commission responds

TikTok could face a ban in Europe, according to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

During an electoral debate in the Netherlands for her re-election, she was asked about the possible ban of TikTok in the United States, recently sanctioned, the far-right leader said that something similar could be done in Europe. “It is not excluded,” said Von der Leyen about the idea of ​​banning the Chinese app.

The European Commission was the first institution in the world to ban the app on its corporate smartphones. An investigation carried out based on the European Digital Services Law assesses whether TikTok will receive a fine or temporary suspension for alleged failures to protect minors.

Prohibition in several countries

In the United States, where there are more than 170 million TikTok users, President Biden sanctioned a project to force ByteDance to sell the app within 9 months, with an extension for another 30 days.

The big concern is that American citizens’ data will be shared with the Chinese government. ByteDance claims that it has never received this type of request from Beijing and claims that the law is unconstitutional.

Leader of the European Union tried to avoid talking about TikTok during the election campaign, but was asked about it by a journalist during a debate. (Source: European Union/Disclosure)Source: European Union/Disclosure

The app is also banned in India, Afghanistan and Iran. TikTok has also faced restrictions in Pakistan, Russia and Azerbaijan. In Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway, federal employees cannot install the dance app on their work devices.

Apps banned in China

The TikTok ban also extends to foreign visitors to China. The Chinese government also does not allow its inhabitants to access popular apps in the Western world, such as Google, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Asian giant has similar applications that perform the same functions as the banned apps. The most popular application in the country is WeChat, which has more than 800 million users.

Concerns about TikTok

As with any social media platform, there are concerns about the privacy of users’ data. TikTok collects a large amount of data from users, including location information, browsing history and interactions on the platform.

The platform may make material inappropriate for certain age groups available, such as vulgar language, sexualized content or even violent material, and has been the scene of dangerous challenges that can encourage users to engage in risky or unhealthy behavior.

Additionally, excessive use of social media, including TikTok, can have a negative impact on users’ mental health and the app can be a vehicle for the spread of false content and misinformation.