TikTok's Project Texas - Social Media Data Governance Across Geopolitical Lines

Abstract

TikTok, a video sharing social media platform, is a subsidiary of ByteDance, a Chinese-owned company, with its headquarters in Singapore. There's an ongoing concern in the United States Congress that American users' data may be exposed to unauthorized access or manipulated by foreign entities. In an effort to alleviate these concerns and retain user trust, TikTok launched Project Texas, aimed at safeguarding American users' data. This commentary examines the broader implications of Project Texas on data governance, particularly in the context of geopolitical boundaries. It delves into the geopolitics of social media and the autonomy of data governance in the digital age, offering advice for all social media platforms regarding these issues.