More than six years ago, China's "ByteDance" technology company launched a hugely popular domestic user-friendly short video clip platform called Douyin.

Hundreds of millions of users

but for the international market

The platform is not called a douin.

But under the name TikTok (Tik Tok), it was officially launched in August 2018 and has been dubbed

It is a fast growing platform.

used to be more popular than Google

With billions of active users in more than 150 countries around the world.

More than 3 billion downloads installed on mobile devices.

However, even though the international stage adheres to the principles

it is, it is inevitable to escape from the framework of

are still alive all day long.

Especially the situation at this time, where the confrontation between the US and China

The West-East power pole is becoming more and more pronounced.

Whether it's a trade war

South China Sea dispute

or Taiwan Strait tensions

With the popularity of Tik Tok in the United States

It is therefore inevitable that the platform will also fall into the eyes of the US government.

During the time of Donald Trump, the former president of the United States

Tik Tok has threatened to sell their business if they don't want to be banned in the US.

This was followed by Joe Biden, the current President of the United States.

which started to get really strong during this year

Federal government agencies have been ordered 30 days to remove tick-tock from their work devices.

as well as agencies in different states

There are now about 24 states that since November 2022 have ordered the app to be banned from TikTok.

in state device

It has spread to universities in Texas, Alabama and Idaho, where Tick-tock is banned on campus Wi-Fi.

While the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps

and the United States Coast Guard

There was a ban on tick-tocks from three years ago.

This does not include all of the US allies that have followed the

ban , whether the United Kingdom, Canada, France, the European Union's civil service.

and the New Zealand Parliament

The purpose of the US to ban the use of TikTok is

It is evident in the process of summoning

(read according to the Chinese word), a Singaporean Tik Tok executive.

Testified for more than five hours before the US Senate committee this past weekend.

That's the kind of worry and fear that's ingrained in your head.

Moreover

US lawmakers from both the Democratic Party and the Republican opposition also agree to take action.

Must be dealt with completely and decisively by proposing bill S.686 called

(Restrict Bill), but will simply call the villagers to understand that

with the main idea being

Prohibiting the use of any Internet technology belonging to

"Foreign Enemies", where enemies here may refer to the People's Republic of China.

Includes Hong Kong SAR, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or Venezuela.

But it can change further at any time depending on the situation.

Prohibited items include software, hardware, such as wireless devices.

internet network router computer camera

VPN spoofing systems insofar as they are produced by…used by…or have any connection to the definition.

"Foreign Enemies" of the US Government

Any person violating the law, such as using a VPN to play tik tok applications

will be considered a criminal penalty.

could face a minimum of 20 years in prison and a minimum fine of $250,000, or more than 8.5 million baht, or a fine of up to $1 million, or more than 34 million baht, depending on how deliberate.

Law S.686 also authorizes US federal agencies.

To keep an eye on any activity

that may be related to these technologies

or to understand simply that

If at any time under suspicion, the state can

the use of any device connected to the Internet 24 hours a day.

Ready to authorize the US president to set up a working group to supervise

These working groups are not required to disclose information to the public.

can do any necessary

If seen as a threat to the security of the United States

which some media viewed as

It is similar in nature to

the patriotic law of former President George W. Bush that gave security agencies extreme powers.

deal with any matter deemed to be a terrorist threat

Some analysts also think that

If the law is upheld and when does it come into force?

The US government would have full control over the online world.

Monitoring email usage and prosecuting anyone the state deems to be a threat...which, in fact, is no different from China's Internet controls that the US government constantly criticizes!?

Weerapot Inthaphan