Only about 28% of Americans support Ban TikTokAccording to a new poll from market research firm Savanta. Although it remains to be seen whether the US Senate will take up the alleged issue. This is on TikTok The new poll, approved by the House earlier this month, could leave lawmakers hesitant about their next steps.
House bill, Protecting Americans from Apps Controlled by Foreign Adversaries Act, passes March 13 The vote was 352 to 65, but there was no clear partisan divide. The bill would force TikTok’s Chinese owner ByteDance to divest from the app, but the company has said it has no intention of doing so.If ByteDance doesn’t sell or can’t sell it within six months, the app will be banned in the U.S.
But Savanta’s latest poll shows that 170 Americans who use TikTok believe they can find a way around the ban. About 60% said that “their friends” would continue to use the app even if a ban was enacted, which is an interesting way of asking the question.
Americans said that if they truly lost access to TikTok, they would likely increase their use of other video-based social media apps, such as YouTube (34%) and Instagram (30%). But poll respondents haven’t entirely given up on the idea of TikTok reform.
Some 69% of Americans say TikTok and other social media companies “need to do more to protect their personal data, including from foreign governments.” 59% said social media companies should do more to “address harmful speech and imagery on their platforms.” About 46% said they were concerned about the idea of social media influencing elections.
“Young people — seen as key to the outcome of the presidential election — are particularly opposed,” Savanta research analyst Ethan Granholm told Gizmodo in an emailed statement. “Many are advising their friends if Just stick with the app if you can, or move to YouTube and Instagram, they’re going to be the real winners here.”
The poll of 2,000 Americans over the age of 18 was conducted between March 19 and 25, shortly after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the legislation a week ago. March 13. But whether the bill will become law remains to be seen.
“While TikTok currently enjoys public support, they should be aware that there are real concerns about how they use personal data, and some have suggested they are reducing their use of the app as a result. Consumers will likely vote with their feet before lawmakers , forcing TikTok to take action,” Granholm said.