The national perspective regarding the proposed TikTok ban has undergone a notable evolution. While formerly associated with a specific political stance, recent data from the Pew Research Center, derived from a survey of over 5,000 American adults, indicates a significant shift in public opinion.
Most notably, the survey found that only 34% of Americans support the TikTok ban. This is significant because the figure is down from 50% in Pew’s 2023 survey. Unsurprisingly, the survey also shows that the number of Americans who oppose the ban has risen from 22% to 32%.
The survey also differentiated between Republicans and Democrats. According to the survey, Republicans’ support for a TikTok ban has sharply fallen from 60% to 39%. Yet, despite this, more Republicans support a ban than Democrats (30%).
What are the main reasons for supporting and opposing a TikTok ban?
While data security concerns initially fueled the proposed TikTok ban, public apprehension has notably decreased, falling from 59% in 2023 to 49% in 2024. However, among those who still support a ban, 95% cite data security as their primary reason, underscoring the enduring significance of privacy issues for a substantial portion of the American populace.
By contrast, 74% of those who oppose the ban cite free speech as the most pertinent reason. This is the same argument TikTok used in its court defense, which suggests that the app really is the voice of the people.
It’s unlikely that the Trump administration will take any of this into account when hammering out its deal, but one thing is clear: users aren’t ready to say goodbye to TikTok just yet.
