Exploring the Symbolism Behind Media Platforms and Geopolitical Tensions

The clock is ticking on social media giant TikTok, which faces a nationwide ban in the United States unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells it by January 19. Social media theorist Clay Shirky unpacks why the US is trying to ban TikTok, what it means for the app's users and creators and the implications for national security, freedom of speech, US-China relations and more. (This interview, hosted by TED's Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was recorded on January 8, 2025.)

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