Dan Crenshaw
Yes, Gen Z, we get it—you don’t care about data privacy. But that’s just a tiny part of the story. The real issue here is control. The Chinese Communist Party is using TikTok to build a blueprint of influence over you and our society. They’re not just tracking what you do; they’re deciding what you see, and therefore *how you think*. There is plenty of evidence this is already happening. Now imagine how much more powerful it would be as an information warfare weapon when the proverbial shit hits the fan in a potential conflict over Taiwan. Yeah, the Chinese will take control of all advanced semi-conductor chips in Taiwan (the ones that power your precious smartphone), and then use your addiction to TikTok to convince you it’s all a good idea. TikTok, as an entertainment platform, is an incredible product. It’s fun, it’s creative, and millions of Americans love using it. But we also need to recognize that it’s a Trojan horse. And right now, that horse is carrying Chinese Communist Party influence into our backyard and sending American’s data back to Beijing. That’s the problem we need to solve. The goal here is not about trying to stop American small businesses who use TikTok to promote themselves, the latest dances, or end “brain rot” trends—though maybe fixing that wouldn’t hurt either. It’s about making sure that enjoyment doesn’t come at the cost of our privacy, our freedom, or our national security. There’s a way to fix this. We don’t need to kill TikTok; we need to kick the Chinese Communist Party out of it. Ownership by someone who shares—or at least respects—our democratic values is the solution. People like Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank and Dodgers owner Frank McCourt are already exploring a potential acquisition. But the fact that TikTok seems unwilling to even consider this solution tells us all we need to know about its true purpose.