US government bans TikTok use on federal devices

Significance

By last month, 14 states had already banned TikTok from government-issued devices, with another five in the process of doing so, citing security concerns recently endorsed by the director of the FBI. This concern is increasingly bipartisan.

Impacts

• A commercial ban on TikTok would boost prospects for social media platforms owned by Meta and Alphabet.
• Whichever party leads a wider ban on TikTok may suffer with younger voters.
• Even with a ban on TikTok, the ability of social media to shape how citizens receive information will remain a political challenge.