The Risks of TikTok in the Context of Digital Sovereignty: A Case Study of the U.S. Ban on TikTok

Abstract

TikTok stands out as the top choice for digital social networking among the youth in the United States, despite being viewed by the U.S. authorities as a potential risk to the nation's security. Over the past few years, the concept of digital sovereignty has gained prominence, with growing global interest and scrutiny from the international community regarding this matter. This article organizes the relevant concepts of digital sovereignty, discusses geopolitics and digital boundaries, reviews the ban on TikTok in the United States, and combines the background of digital sovereignty with the ban on TikTok to draw a conclusion: TikTok poses a threat to the U.S. government and society in terms of data collection, algorithmic control, and political influence, and these threats are part of the background of digital sovereignty. Ultimately, this article calls for a joint effort from the international community to balance the relationship between data security, freedom of information, and technological innovation, and to strengthen the emphasis on the issue of digital sovereignty.