Source: UPI
The narrative dominance of the United States and its historical challenges
Historically, the United States has demonstrated a remarkable ability to shape public perception, whether by demonizing its enemies or exalting its allies, depending on its strategic interests at the time. A clear example of this is the Red Scare of the early 20th century, when a strong anti-communist sentiment was promoted among the population. Later, during World War II, there was the surprising image makeover of Stalin, who went from being considered an adversary to being nicknamed "Uncle Joe" as a symbol of a necessary ally.
A similar case occurred in the 1980s with the mujahideen during the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. At that time, these groups were presented as "freedom fighters," a narrative that even reached cinema, with the film Rambo III dedicated to them. These examples reflect how the United States has used propaganda and the media to align its population with its political and military objectives, redefining allies and enemies according to circumstances.
TikTok and the resistance of American users
However, TikTok appears to be a particularly tough nut to crack in the struggle for American soft power. This application has achieved deep penetration in the North American economy, becoming a key pillar for many businesses. Paradoxically, Donald Trump, who initiated the process to seek the removal of TikTok in the United States, acknowledged in his own words that he gained relevance among young voters thanks to the platform.
According to an article from The Economic Times, the economic impact of a possible ban would be considerable. More than 7 million businesses in the United States use TikTok to reach their customers, and 69% of these companies report an increase in their sales thanks to the application. Additionally, 39% of businesses say that TikTok is essential for their survival. These figures highlight the influence and strategic value of the platform, both for the American economy and for the balance of cultural power on the global stage.
For years, lawmakers and U.S. officials have warned about the alleged risks that TikTok's ties to China pose to national security. In response, Congress enacted a law requiring ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to sell its stake in the app or face a ban in the U.S. market. The law set January 19 as the deadline, one day before a new president was to take office, marking a clear attempt to resolve the issue before the transition of power. However, with the sale still out of sight, TikTok presented a last-ditch legal challenge, which failed when the Supreme Court ruled that the law does not violate the First Amendment.
During the two days when TikTok was banned in the United States, the reaction of American citizens was surprising and, for their government, puzzling. Instead of supporting the official decision, many users migrated en masse to another Chinese-origin app, Xiaohongshu (小红书), known as "Little Red Book." This name, a symbolic reference to the iconic Red Book of Mao Zedong, was a significant rhetorical defeat, even though the app itself does not have an explicit political character.
To complicate matters, Xiaohongshu operates in an environment where the Chinese Communist Party effectively engages in mass surveillance and content censorship, practices that Washington sought to avoid by banning TikTok. This mass migration highlighted a decoupling between the official narrative and public preferences, underscoring the challenges of implementing technological restrictions in a globalized and highly interconnected environment.
During the days when TikTok was banned in the United States, thousands of videos went viral on digital platforms, showing American citizens expressing their opposition to the censorship by their own government. In these videos, many displayed a defiant attitude, openly stating that they did not care if the Chinese government had access to their personal information. This collective rejection not only revealed a clear disconnect between authorities and the population but also demonstrated a shift in the traditional narrative of the United States regarding its enemies.
The loss of digital sovereignty
Moreover, for the first time in the 21st century, the United States found itself in the unprecedented position of ceding part of its digital sovereignty due to the unpopularity of censoring an app. Generally, it is developing countries that are forced to make such decisions, as measures like banning popular platforms can lead to massive discontent that seriously compromises government stability. For example, if WhatsApp were banned in Argentina, the social reaction would likely obliterate the popularity of the responsible authorities.
A similar case was observed with Lula da Silva in Brazil, who faced a difficult dispute with Elon Musk regarding Twitter, illustrating how weaker countries often have to yield to the pressure of large tech platforms. However, on this occasion, the United States found itself for the first time in a comparable situation, occupying the position of the loser in a symbolic and cultural battle within its own territory.
This episode exposes not only the difficulty of imposing decisions contrary to popular sentiment in the digital space but also the growing inability of the White House to control the narrative within its own country. What has traditionally been a strength of American soft power appeared weakened in the face of a distrustful population resistant to government impositions, marking a turning point in its ability to manage technological and cultural conflicts.
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