Not normally a Jacobin fan but this is pretty straightforward: the move against TikTok is a combination of anti-China hysteria, American tech companies trying to squeeze out competition, and a bipartisan attempt to censor opposing views on Gaza and other issues and politically punish young people.

https://jacobin.com/2024/03/tiktok-ban-israel-gaza-free-speech

Banning TikTok Is a Terrible Idea

Large numbers of both Republican and Democratic officials, including Joe Biden, are indicating their support of a measure to ban TikTok. It’s a nonsensical idea born of elite mistrust of ordinary people.

@gwynnion suspect there's also a hope someone in the right-wing space can just take it over.