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Chinese App, REDNote, Acquires TikTok Refugees
Americans Choose a Chinese Platform to Give the Middle Finger to Meta
The TikTok Ban and ByteDance’s Response
The Supreme Court is deciding whether TikTok can continue operating without selling to an American-owned business. ByteDance, which owns TikTok, has already declared that if they are not allowed to continue without selling, they will go dark on January 19. They are standing their ground and not giving in to the arm-twisting.
The U.S. government claims that TikTok poses a national security risk, arguing that Americans using a platform owned by a “foreign national,” especially China, makes them vulnerable to blackmail.
To be clear, the parent company, ByteDance, is a Chinese business, but TikTok is incorporated in the United States. The CEO, Shou Zi Chew, is from Singapore and got his start as an intern at Facebook.
No VPN Workaround
Some initially believed they could continue using TikTok via a VPN. But that won’t work for a couple of reasons.
If the app is banned, neither Google Play nor the Apple Store will host it. This means you could keep using the app as long as it’s downloaded on your phone before the ban goes into…
