A growing number of researchers fear that the controversial app is promoting pro-China content and softening attitudes towards the People’s Republic

While some propose an outright ban, others advocate for media literacy initiatives to educate users about online disinformation. As Taiwan navigates these challenges, the government is considering policies to increase transparency in TikTok’s content moderation and algorithmic operations.

With TikTok, Beijing has a platform of its own and can manipulate the algorithm to feed users whatever content it wants. TikTok is also shown to be more addictive than other platforms due to its short-video format and its manipulation of behavioral psychology to give users a sense of instant gratification.

Young Taiwanese are increasingly consuming Chinese content on TikTok, which is changing their views on identity and making them less resistant toward China, researchers and politicians were cited as saying by foreign media.

A number of TikTok users appear to be turning to an app called RedNote — more commonly known to its majority-Chinese audience by its Chinese name, Xiaohongshu.

The Chinese social media app, popular in the United States a week after being flooded by TikTok users, has added language translation features.

TikTok’s time in the United States is counting down. But Washington is only the latest government to impose restrictions on the video app.

The controversy over TikTok in US politics reflects a broader trend — the growing entanglement of technology and politics, as was evidenced by the overwhelming attendance of tech giants at Trump’s inauguration.

Despite facing a looming ban, ByteDance and the U.S. government have been locked in a proverbial game of chicken, with TikTok’s parent company refusing to divest more than a year later. Lawmakers and experts have long argued that the firm is beholden to the Chinese government, creating security risks for the app’s American users.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week was friendly and he thought he could reach a trade deal with China. The leaders of the world's two biggest economies discussed issues including TikTok, trade and Taiwan in a phone call before Trump took office on Monday.

Less than 24 hours after U.S. President Donald Trump was sworn into office on Monday, new Secretary of State Marco Rubio met foreign minister counterparts from America’s closest allies in the Indo-Pacific - the so-called “Quad” with Australia,