What an odd question. The government bans things all the time - can you go and buy unpasteurized milk right now? Or walk into a weapons store and buy brass knuckles? But heaven forbid, we’re abandoning our principles if we ban a data collection platform owned and operated by a genocidal undemocratic government.
Of course the government bans things all the time. The question is of kind: unpasteurized milk and brass knuckles exist in regulatory environments that don't meaningfully impinge upon civil liberties.
It's not even clear what statute you'd use to "ban" TikTok. Is it a national security risk?
it is a national risk but i imagine there's also economic / trade grounds in the fact that china doesn't let american companies compete in their market.
I don't see any reason for it not to be in the purview of government.
It is in the purview of the government. That's not the question; the statutory justification for a ban is the question.
Every single country on this planet of ours engages in some form of protectionism, whether we like it or not: again, it isn't clear what casuistic justification explains singling out China's protectionism, and even then banning just one company involved in it. Italy doesn't let us sell the sawdust we call "Parmesan," but I'd prefer it if we didn't ban selling the real thing in retaliation.
Finally, for the national risk: what, precisely is the national risk? You can argue (correctly!) that they're a bad actor given this news, and I would be more than happy to see those involved in the surveillance of journalists see the inside of a court. But this doesn't even come close to meeting the standard for a national security risk, weak as that standard has become.
What an odd question. The government bans things all the time - can you go and buy unpasteurized milk right now? Or walk into a weapons store and buy brass knuckles? But heaven forbid, we’re abandoning our principles if we ban a data collection platform owned and operated by a genocidal undemocratic government.