Are we really going to ban TikTok?
The TikTok ban might be for real this time. Nearly four years after the first attempt to get the ByteDance-owned company either sold or barred from the US, a new bill is flying through congressional votes, and President Joe Biden has already said he’ll sign it if it comes to his desk.
On this episode of The Vergecast, we talk about what’s inside the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (everybody calls it PAFFACAA, just kidding; nobody calls it that, everybody just calls it “The TikTok Ban”) and what we know about TikTok’s connection to China. The answer: not a lot! But four years in, Congress seems more convinced than ever, and that might mean something. Or it might not. We spend a long time debating what that means.
After that, we discuss who might buy TikTok, whether TikTok is even for sale, and what companies like Meta, Snap, and X stand to gain from a TikTok ban. And finally, we try to decide which outcome is the most likely: a TikTok ban, a TikTok sale, or nothing at all?
Once we dispense with the TikTok news, we talk about YouTube’s new redesign for TVs and Spotify’s push into music videos — which are both, in a way, actually stories about TikTok. Neil Young makes a surprise reappearance on the show, and then it’s time for a lightning round. Brought to you by your favorite new band, Algorithmic Warfare.
If you want to read more on everything we covered in this show (there’s a lot!), here are a few links to get you started, first on TikTok:
- TikTok ban: all the news on attempts to ban the video platform
- Lawmakers introduce bill that would punish app stores for hosting TikTok
- House passes bill that could ban TikTok
- President Biden says he’ll sign a TikTok ban, if passed.
- TikTok’s fate now lies with the Senate after House advances path to a ban
- TikTok CEO tells users to “make their voices heard” against a bill that could ban the app in the US.
- Nancy Pelosi is playing TikTok-toe. (Ditto)
- Donald Trump has even more to say about the TikTok ban.
- TikTok is urging users to call Congress about a looming ban
- The TikTokers are revolting.
- Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is apparently eyeing TikTok.
And on the streaming news of the week:
- YouTube is revamping its TV app to make videos feel way more interactive
- Spotify now has music videos
- Neil Young’s music is back on “low res Spotify” two years after Rogan protest
- Elon Musk cancels Don Lemon’s show on X after a ‘tense’ interview
- Linda Yaccarino on X: “X is becoming a video first platform”
And in the lightning round:
- Alex Cranz’s pick: British monarchy rocked by bad Photoshop job
- The Kate Middleton photo scandal is a rare — and consequential — flub
- Nilay Patel’s pick: SpaceX successfully launches Starship in third flight test
- David Pierce’s pick: Apple to allow iOS app downloads direct from websites in the EU
- Alex’s second pick: Hands-on with the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum
- David’s second pick: Microsoft Teams is finally moving to a single app for personal and work
- Nilay’s second pick: Nikon is acquiring US camera manufacturer RED
We’re really curious to hear what you think about the TikTok ban in particular. As always, you can get in touch with us by emailing vergecast@theverge.com, calling the Vergecast Hotline at +1-866-VERGE11, or hitting us up on Threads. Or TikTok! For now.