Americans Are Changing Their Mind About TikTok Ban
A new Pew Research Center study has found a significant decline in support for the TikTok ban among Americans. The trend is observed regardless of political views, with the most notable changes occurring among Republican Party supporters. This creates a new twist in the discussion about the future of the popular platform.
Public Opinion and the Future of TikTok in the US
A new study by Pew Research Center shows dramatic changes in Americans’ attitudes toward the TikTok ban. A survey of over 5,000 American adults showed that only 34% of respondents support banning the popular short-video app, down from 50% last year.
The study also revealed an increase in the number of TikTok ban opponents. While 22% of respondents opposed the ban in 2023, this figure has now risen to 32%.
Particularly notable changes occurred among Republican Party supporters. Support for the ban among Republicans and their supporters has dropped from 60% to 30% since March 2023. Among Democrats, the figure also decreased – from 43% to 30%.
Interestingly, platform users and non-users have radically different views on this issue. Among active TikTok users, only 12% support the ban, while among those who don’t use the app, this figure reaches 45%.
Despite the declining popularity of the legislative initiative, TikTok’s future in the US remains uncertain. The TikTok ban law, signed by President Joe Biden last April due to concerns about possible Chinese surveillance, gave ByteDance until January 19 to sell the app to an American company.
When the deadline came, the app was blocked for approximately 12 hours, after which President Trump extended the sale period by another three months – until April 19. Oracle, Microsoft, and Perplexity AI are named among potential buyers, however, ByteDance has shown no desire to sell its asset.
The shift in public opinion regarding the TikTok ban demonstrates the complexity of balancing national security with the popularity of social platforms. However, despite decreasing support for the ban, the app’s future in the US remains uncertain.
