Public Support for TikTok Ban: Is It Changing? Insights Ahead of Potential Restrictions
As the possibility of a TikTok ban looms for 170 million American users, it’s worth examining how many people support such a ban.
The support is surprisingly low.
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center indicated that from March 2023 to August 2024, the percentage of Americans backing the ban dropped from 50% to 32%. This survey was shared with YSL News on Wednesday as the latest available findings.
During the same timeframe, opposition to the ban rose from 22% to 28%. Additionally, a petition titled “Keep TikTok − Protect National Security Without Sacrificing Opportunity” has collected over 120,000 signatures since it was launched in December.
There might still be a glimmer of hope for TikTok. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently deliberating on the ban’s future, and experts suggest that the court is inclined to maintain the ban. As of late Wednesday, the court had not yet issued a decision.
Fading Support Among the Public
The Pew Research Center’s data shows that around 50% of Americans were in favor of a TikTok ban in March 2023, while only 22% opposed it.
The survey also highlighted a decline in support among both major political groups. In March 2023, 60% of Republicans and 43% of Democrats were in favor of the ban. By fall, the numbers fell to just 42% of Republicans and 24% of Democrats supporting it.
What’s Going On with TikTok?
TikTok, along with its parent company ByteDance based in China, is seeking to challenge a law enacted by President Joe Biden that would enforce a ban on the app starting January 19, unless the company divests its U.S. operations due to security concerns.
The company has asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban during the ongoing legal proceedings. Although the justices heard the arguments last week, they have yet to reach a conclusion. If the ban is enforced on Sunday, both Apple and Google will be prohibited from allowing new users to download TikTok, although current users will still have access to the app.
Both TikTok and the U.S. government acknowledge that the app could deteriorate and eventually become non-functional over time due to the lack of support services from companies.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter. Follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
