Let’s be honest, we all know about TikTok and its meteoric rise to being the most popular app in the United States. However, not many know of its dark background in connection to the Chinese government.

TikTok is a video sharing platform that allows users to post brief videos of dances, funny situations, and everything in-between. However, a major problem with the app lies within the Chinese government’s mishandling of videos that are in disagreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s communist ideology. The platform censors users and suppresses minority groups, all while presenting a threat to American democracy. The Chinese media conglomerate that runs TikTok has been widely accused by American staff of censoring anti-communist sentiment on the website.

Another great threat the app presents is the possibility of influencing American elections. The app has the ability to use a calculated algorithm to make certain videos pop up in the main feed of a user. If desired, the company could endorse any party by circulating videos associating a positive connotation to a certain political affiliation. In conclusion, be aware.

Make sure you look up the app and its parent company before downloading it. Government staff aren’t even allowed to have the app on their phones as it has been identified as a possible risk to national security. Just make sure you know what’s on your phone.