TikTok and its possible US ban - here’s what happens next…

Only two months ago Joe Biden joined the social media platform TikTok with a video captioned "lol hey guys". Now, the US president is poised to sign a bill that could ban the popular app - unless its parent company sells it.  <br />  <br />The country is concerned that TikTok's owner, Beijing-based tech firm ByteDance, could be forced by Chinese authorities to hand over the user data of almost 170 million American app users.  <br />  <br />On this episode, Niall Paterson unpicks the possible ban with Arthi Nachiappan, our technology correspondent. Plus, Chris Stokel-Walker, author of TikTok Boom: China's Dynamite App And The Superpower Race For Social Media, joins Niall to discuss the app's impact in the US - as well as China's influence on technology. <br /><br />Since recording this episode, TikTok CEO, Shou Chew said in a statement: "This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court. We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail.<br /><br />"As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired."<br /><br /><br />Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse <br />Assistant producer: Iona Brunker<br />Promotions producer: David Chipakupaku <br />Editor: Paul Stanworth <br />