A slight majority of registered voters want the China-founded TikTok sold to U.S. buyers, according to a new Wall Street Journal poll also showing a plurality of respondents support a nationwide ban of the popular video-based platform.
The new polling on Americans’ attitudes about restrictions on TikTok shows the voting public is divided about how to address data security concerns associated with the platform’s China-founded parent company, ByteDance.
American policymakers have expressed fears that China’s policies of civil-military fusion that compel businesses to work with the communist government mean Americans’ data on TikTok is exposed to Chinese officials via ByteDance.
Congress is considering several proposals to empower President Biden to ban or restrict TikTok, which has worked to persuade lawmakers and federal agencies against imposing a nationwide ban. The company has worked to restructure its business in the U.S. and develop new processes to separate Americans’ data from China.
Despite TikTok’s promises, most respondents in the Journal’s poll, 56%, said the app poses at least some risk.
Support for forcing a sale from ByteDance to U.S. owners exists among 52% of registered voters, while a plurality of respondents, 46%, favor a nationwide ban. Some 35% of respondents oppose a total ban.
The survey of 1,500 voters from April 11-17 by pollsters Tony Fabrizio and John Anzalone found a quarter of respondents had not made up their minds about restrictions on TikTok. The poll had a 2.5-percentage-point margin of error.
The Journal’s poll recorded Republicans are far likelier than Democrats to support a total ban — 62% to 33%.
The new poll’s findings are largely consistent with a Pew Research Center survey conducted last month. That poll reported 50% of Americans supported a nationwide ban, with Republicans and GOP-leaning independents far more supportive than their Democratic and Democrat-leaning counterparts.
American voters’ attitudes toward banning TikTok may shape the decision-making of political leaders, but implementing any new restrictions may require the support of tech executives.
TikTok appears among the top five free apps available in Apple and Google’s app stores on Tuesday afternoon. The Big Tech titans distribute TikTok’s app through their app stores, and Americans access the platform through Apple and Google devices and via the Big Tech companies’ web browsers.
Whether Apple and Google would work with the American government to banish TikTok is not immediately clear.
After a private meeting between Apple CEO Tim Cook and federal lawmakers this month, Rep. Mike Gallagher said lawmakers who support restricting TikTok are not counting on Big Tech companies’ assistance to do so.
The Wisconsin Republican leads the House Select Committee on China and led lawmakers to meetings with tech executives in Silicon Valley this month.
Mr. Gallagher, a vocal supporter of banning TikTok, told The Washington Times on Saturday that he did not recall the topic of TikTok coming up in his meeting with Mr. Cook.
“We’re not banking on assistance from American Big Tech companies,” Mr. Gallagher said. “We’re just trying to elucidate the national security risk posed by TikTok and then coalesce around a narrow, targeted approach in the House that would effectuate a ban or a forced sale.”
Some Big Tech companies have acquiesced to governmental demands restricting apps.
In response to Russian pressure ahead of an election in 2021, Apple and Google removed an app telling Russian voters which candidates appeared likely to defeat those supported by Russian authorities, according to The Associated Press. The app was later restored to both app stores, according to PCMag in 2022.
Apple and TikTok did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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