What the U.S. can learn from India’s TikTok ban

Political leaders in the U.S. are inching ever closer to a nationwide ban on TikTok, spurred by concerns over its parent company ByteDance. In the first weeks of the new Congress, lawmakers introduced a bill to institute a nationwide ban, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to defend the platform when he testifies before the House in March. It’s unclear when or if the government will take more aggressive action — but the possibility has sparked a vigorous debate on a possible nationwide ban on one of America’s most popular social networks.

A U.S. ban might seem unprecedented — but there’s a major precedent many overlook. In June 2020, TikTok had more than 200 million Indian users (then ByteDance’s largest market outside China) when the Indian government abruptly banned it, citing issues of privacy and national sovereignty. The decision came two weeks after Chinese military aggression in India’s northern border led to a high-octane tussle resulting in the death of at least 20 Indian soldiers. TikTok was one among over 200 Chinese apps that were blocked from operating within the country.