Should the Philippines ban TikTok, too?

The US government's TikTok ban isn't about protecting users from algorithms, spying, or manipulation. It's not about freedom of speech, as users can still express themselves, just not on TikTok. The primary reason is concerns about China. The US government gave ByteDance, TikTok's owner, the chance to sell the platform to a US company. Some people call this move 'sino-phobia,' but given the tensions in the West Philippine Sea and China's interactions with Filipinos, who are US allies, there are reasons for the US to be cautious.

This move by the US government isn't about protecting users from data theft. TikTok is just like Facebook, Instagram, and Threads; it's like Google and YouTube; and it's like X. TikTok is a surveillance company. And guess what? US companies can do that too. So, it's clear that the US companies are the ones who benefit from this move.

At present, there isn't a unified federal framework to protect Americans from being spied on for financial gain.  Unlike in the European Union (and the Philippines), there is no comprehensive federal data privacy regulation in the US.  It is important to note that this is not just a US problem.

In the scenario that TikTok gets banned in the US, the major US news outlets are preparing Americans by providing alternatives.  However, they seem to be leaning towards either Chinese apps or US apps that have privacy concerns. It's worth noting that there are better alternatives like Pixelfed.org, Loops.video, and Flickr.com. The US mainstream media. much like its lawmakers, may not fully understand the options or may be influenced by other factors.

So, should the Philippines ban TikTok, too? IMHO, it is not an outright YES, primarily because the Philippines has a good data privacy law, which needs to be enforced on companies like ByteDance, Meta, and Alphabet, to name three. This would require these companies to stop their surveillance practices. If the Philippines can't enforce the law, then YES, banning those companies and their services may be necessary.