Introduction: A Clear and Present Danger
The ongoing debate surrounding TikTok is not merely about a social media application; it is about national sovereignty, the security of our citizens’ data, and the integrity of our democratic discourse. For too long, the conversation has been muddled by half-measures, corporate-speak, and a fundamental misunderstanding of the adversary we face. The passage of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) was a necessary first step, but it is not the final solution. Current and past efforts to mitigate the threat posed by TikTok are, and have always been, ineffective at addressing the underlying security concerns. The time for divestment negotiations and technical firewalls has passed. TikTok, a tool of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), must be banned entirely from the United States.
The Corporate Shell Game: A Deliberate Deception
To understand the TikTok threat, one must first dismantle the complex and deliberately opaque corporate structure of its parent company, ByteDance.
- Cayman Islands and Delaware: Havens of Obscurity: ByteDance is not a simple tech company; it is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, a jurisdiction notorious for financial secrecy. This is not an accident. It is a calculated move to obscure ownership and evade American oversight, a direct contradiction to the “America First” principles our nation must embody. Furthermore, its U.S. entity, TikTok Inc., is registered in Delaware, a state with notoriously lax corporate transparency laws, and the home state of President Biden, a fact that should raise serious questions. This is the opposite of the patriotic move made by Truth Social, which reincorporated from Delaware to Florida, demonstrating a commitment to transparency and American values.
- The “Global Investor” Myth: We are told that 60% of ByteDance is owned by “global institutional investors.” This is a classic globalist talking point designed to lull us into a false sense of security. It is a distraction. The critical issue is not the 60%, but the controlling interest and influence wielded by the CCP. This “globalist” structure ensures that American interests will always be subjugated.
- The “Golden Share”: A Dagger at the Heart: The most damning evidence of CCP control lies in the 1% “golden share” held by WangTouZhongWen Technology, an entity backed by the China Internet Investment Fund, in a key ByteDance subsidiary. This is not a trivial stake; it grants the CCP a board seat and direct influence over the company’s operations. This structure is a blatant power grab. No American company would tolerate a foreign adversary holding such a position. It is an insult to our national intelligence to suggest this is anything but direct state control.
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