Bill Overview
Title: ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act
Description: This bill requires the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on TikTok, its parent company ByteDance Ltd., and larger social media companies with ties to certain foreign countries. Specifically, the sanctions shall apply if the relevant property interests are (1) in the United States; or (2) in the possession or control of a U.S. person, if blocking the transaction is necessary to prevent the company's commercial operation in the United States. These sanctions shall also apply to larger social media companies involved with countries or persons (entities or individuals) of concern, generally defined as any foreign government or person engaged in activities adverse to U.S. security and safety and includes specific countries such as China, Russia, and North Korea. For the purposes of this bill, a person of concern also includes private companies and individuals domiciled in a country of concern and subject to the substantial influence of the government. Specifically, in addition to TikTok and ByteDance, the sanctions shall apply to any social media company that is based in or organized under the laws of a country of concern; where a country or person of concern owns 10% of its outstanding voting stock or shares; that uses software or algorithms controlled by a country or person of concern, including through export controls; or where a country or person of concern has substantial influence over the company's data sharing or content moderation practices.
Sponsors: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]
Target Audience
Population: Global users of TikTok and similar social media platforms with ties to countries of concern
Estimated Size: 100000000
- The bill mainly targets social media companies and platforms, especially those with ties to countries like China, Russia, and North Korea.
- The population using these platforms, especially TikTok and potentially others with ties to these countries, will be directly impacted.
- TikTok has approximately 1 billion monthly active users globally, who may experience the impact of this legislation.
- Beyond individual users, companies and individuals engaged in creating content, partnerships, or business activities on these platforms may face significant changes.
- Content creators, influencers, small businesses, and advertisers reliant on these platforms may need to adapt to potential restrictions or changes in platform accessibility.
- In the U.S., TikTok reportedly has about 100 million monthly active users whose access to the app might be restricted.
- The legislation could create ripple effects for other non-Chinese users of TikTok as it sets a precedent for international responses to Chinese tech influence.
- Social media companies may need to alter their business models and data practices to avoid being targeted by similar legislation in the future.
Reasoning
- The population impacted by this policy consists largely of TikTok's user base and similar apps with ties to foreign adversarial governments.
- Young adults and teenagers are significant users of TikTok, so a large number of simulated interviews will focus on this group.
- Influencers and small businesses monetizing their content or using these platforms for advertising will have to adapt to platform restrictions or a complete ban, impacting their revenues and social media strategies.
- Non-users are unlikely to feel any impact from this policy, while fervent users or those economically tied to these networks will feel stronger consequences.
- The monetary budget suggests administrative and enforcement costs will be significant, affecting implementation speed and thoroughness.
- It's plausible that users might shift to other non-restricted platforms, changing trends in social media engagement.
Simulated Interviews
Content Creator (New York, NY)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried that my main source of income might be compromised.
- Most of my audience is on TikTok, so I'm not sure how I'd transition them to another platform.
- While I understand security concerns, this feels like it's punishing creators like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 9 |
Tech Entrepreneur (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It could impact our advertising strategy if TikTok is restricted.
- I'm considering exploring other platforms for brand presence.
- Data security is important, but the transition period might hurt operations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 10 |
College Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I love using TikTok daily; it's a form of relaxation and community.
- This might push me to find other forms of entertainment.
- Security concerns feel distant to my personal use.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Small Business Owner (Dallas, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've seen some positive returns using TikTok for marketing.
- If it's banned, I'll have to pivot my digital marketing approach.
- Overall business might not be drastically affected, but it's an inconvenience.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Software Engineer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rarely use TikTok, so a ban won't affect my daily life much.
- From a security standpoint, it's reassuring that steps are being taken.
- It's important that the policy doesn't overreach to other platforms I use.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Marketing Specialist (Miami, FL)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- TikTok offers unique ad opportunities, but we can adapt if necessary.
- Other platforms like Instagram might gain users, which is beneficial for our strategies.
- Maintaining flexibility within our marketing practices is key.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Data Analyst (Boston, MA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The ban aligns with data security interests which is a focal area of my work.
- Social media's role will evolve, and this might open doors for new platforms.
- From an analytical standpoint, shifts will be interesting but challenging to study.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Musician (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- TikTok has been crucial for gaining new listeners.
- I'm anxious about how to maintain visibility if access is limited.
- It might push me to seek alternative promotional methods.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Teacher (Kansas City, MO)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rarely use TikTok, so its success or failure doesn't impact me.
- It might be beneficial if students spend less time on these platforms.
- A shift in social media dynamics could alter student attention spans.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Freelancer (Austin, TX)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- TikTok has been a solid source for client work during the pandemic.
- Losing it would mean having to diversify my search platforms.
- Clients might shift elsewhere, necessitating a new adaptation strategy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $550000000 (Low: $450000000, High: $650000000)
Year 3: $600000000 (Low: $500000000, High: $700000000)
Year 5: $650000000 (Low: $550000000, High: $750000000)
Year 10: $700000000 (Low: $600000000, High: $800000000)
Year 100: $750000000 (Low: $650000000, High: $850000000)
Key Considerations
- The economic and enforcement impact on federal agencies is significant due to the broad application of sanctions.
- Potential shifts in global social media platform uses and adaptations could create long-term shifts in the digital economy.
- The impact on American businesses, content creators, and influencers requires careful consideration to minimize disruptions.