Medical experts alarmed

New reasons for TikTok ban uncovered

Researchers are highlighting the health risks to children from the popular short video app with a new study.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Oleg Usmanov, Padirac – stock.adobe.com)

On Saturday, TikTok temporarily stopped working in the USA - a reaction to a ban that was imposed for fear of espionage and has already been lifted by Donald Trump. New research findings now provide another strong reason to ban the app - or at least regulate it more strictly.

TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance are suspected of espionage due to their proximity to the Chinese government. Although the companies have repeatedly denied the accusations, a US law obliged ByteDance to sell its US business by January 19, 2025. Otherwise, TikTok will be blocked nationwide. The ban affects 170 million US users, half the population - and some of them are particularly affected, as they explain in tearful videos.