Power Play

The TikTok test

Can the wildly popular app address questions about the hold that Beijing has over it amid revived calls in the US to ban it?

In the US, concern over TikTok has ebbed and flowed over the years. PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - On TikTok, anyone can be world famous for 15 seconds. Short videos frequently go viral, featuring anything from cantankerous cats to soothing sea shanties, popularising new dance moves and fashion trends, or sharing users' reviews of books, restaurants, travel destinations, or tips for daily living called life hacks.

Millions of Americans, mostly teens, use the social media app every day, making it a constant if benignly addictive part of their day. But to several Western governments, including in Washington, the app poses real national security risks.

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