Digital platforms like TikTok could help China extend its censorship regime across borders

China’s drive to expand its influence through soft power mechanisms like censorship is coming into sharper focus, especially under Xi Jinping’s leadership. Recently, the social media app TikTok has become a prominent symbol of this global strategy.

The platform consistently denies that its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, is close to China’s government. “ByteDance is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government. It is a private company,” TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew said. However, US congressional hearings and discussions about potential bans this year may suggest that there are suspicions in some quarters of other countries suspect a deeper, more intricate connection.

 
Συνέχεια εδώ