TikTok Ban In Several Western Countries, Violating The Principles Of Freedom In The Internet Of The Current Era?

TikTok, a popular social media platform around the world. (photo: Doc. Pixabay)

JAKARTA - TikTok, a popular social media platform around the world, has been in the spotlight of many countries in the West for violating the principles of freedom on the internet. Although TikTok has huge users and many of them from various countries, some Western countries have restricted or even banned these applications in their territory for security and privacy reasons.

As one of the most popular social media applications in the world, TikTok allows users to easily create and share short videos. However, its popularity has also raised concerns among several Western countries, including the United States, Britain, and Germany.

The United States became one of the first countries to ban the use of TikTok in its territory. In 2020, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning parent company TikTok, ByteDance, from doing business in the United States. The reason is concerns about national security and the potential use of TikTok user data by foreigners.

However, these restrictions are suspended by court decisions and TikTok users can still access applications in the United States. However, security issues continue to be a major concern in the country.

In the UK, the National Police Commission (National Police Chiefs' Council) has called for TikTok users to be more careful and avoid sharing personal information on the platform. They also suggested that users limit the use of TikTok to entertainment and not use it as an official source of information.

Meanwhile, in Germany, TikTok was in the spotlight in early 2021 when the Bavarian state data protection authorities issued an order to remove the app from all smartphones managed by government employees. At the time, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, was deemed to have violated data privacy rules and did not provide sufficient transparency about collecting and using user data.

Although some Western countries have restricted or banned the use of TikTok, the app is still very popular around the world. TikTok claims to have taken steps to improve user privacy and security, including opening up transparency and security centers in the United States. However, this is not enough to stop persistent concerns among some Western countries about the app.

Restrictions or bans on the use of TikTok by some Western countries can be seen as a violation of the principles of freedom on the internet, which is a fundamental right for every internet user. In the current era of the internet, freedom on the internet is becoming increasingly important and must be maintained, especially when internet use is very important for social, political, economic and cultural life.

Some Western countries that restrict or ban the use of TikTok argue that the app could jeopardize the security and privacy of their users. However, these restrictions can be seen as an attempt to limit internet users' freedom of access to the information and platform they want to use. In addition, these restrictions can also trigger concerns over the use of power that is too large by governments or state institutions in regulating the internet.

Internet freedom is an important right for every individual to access information and participate in the global community. Restrictions or bans on the use of TikTok by some Western countries could limit these rights and could spark concerns over the use of power by governments or state institutions in regulating the internet.

However, on the other hand, it must also be admitted that internet freedom is not absolute. There are cases where internet use can be used for purposes that harm others or can even endanger national security. Therefore, there needs to be regulations and regulations to ensure that internet freedom can be maintained while ensuring that internet use can be done responsibly.

Restrictions or bans on the use of TikTok by some Western countries are a complex debate, because there are diverse interests behind it, both in terms of user security and privacy, as well as internet freedom itself, and even economic struggles in it. It is clear that TikTok is currently controlled 100 percent by ByteDance. However, keep in mind that internet freedom must be maintained as well as possible so that individual rights and freedom violations do not occur in cyberspace.