TikTok shows why social media companies need more regulation, They pose a threat to national security, Americans' privacy, and children's health

There has been increasing political awareness regarding the national security issues posed by TikTok, the popular social media app owned by Chinese company ByteDance. Lawmakers and the public are right to be concerned--numerous data points are now available, from ByteDance's connections to the Chinese Communist Party to its potential for social manipulation to its gathering of American personal data. Some efforts have been made to limit the potential risks, for example storing TikTok data on U.S. (rather than Chinese) servers. However, more could be done. Additional measures should also be considered by lawmakers, including the forced sale of ByteDance's U.S. operations or even a complete nationwide ban on TikTok.