TikTok Controversy Reaches Local Communities

The discussion about the potential banning of TikTok in the United States is not limited to the nation's capital. It has also been a topic of conversation in the second-largest city in South Dakota.

At their meeting on Tuesday, the Rapid City council will be presented with a proposal to ban TikTok from all city-owned devices and networks, as well as prohibiting city agencies from using the app. The idea is being championed by a councilman who is also a potential mayoral candidate, and who believes that the app poses a security risk.

A councilwoman who has declared her candidacy for mayor has spoken out against the proposal. She believes that Rapid City has more pressing issues to address, such as crime and drugs, and that there is not enough proof that TikTok is a danger.

The two sides are facing off as federal and state politicians are taking action to prohibit the widely used social-media app from being used on government-issued devices. Additionally, Congress is evaluating a bill that would forbid TikTok from being used in the United States.

The core of the problem lies with the Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., the owner of TikTok. American authorities have expressed their concern that the Chinese government could demand that TikTok gathers data on American users or control the videos that Americans watch on the app. TikTok has stated that they would not comply with such a request, while Beijing has argued that U.S. officials are providing false information about TikTok.

The actions taken are similar to the prohibitions and other limitations imposed on another Chinese tech giant, Huawei Technologies Co. Both the Trump and Biden administrations, citing similar national security concerns, have used export controls and diplomacy to effectively prohibit the cellular-equipment maker in the U.S. and to persuade allied countries to do the same.

TikTok has seen a surge in popularity in the United States, with more than 100 million users, many of whom are young. This has caused the public debate over any potential restrictions on the app to extend beyond the national security concerns that have been raised about Huawei.

The Biden administration and TikTok have been in talks about the future of the app in the U.S. Recently, the Senate voted unanimously in favor of a proposal to prohibit TikTok from being used on government devices, and more than a dozen governors have followed suit with similar orders.

The Senate proposal and the governors' orders have been put into effect without any public hearings or debates. In Rapid City, which is the second largest city in South Dakota with a population of 76,000, the potential ban has become a topic of discussion in the upcoming election.

Jason Salamun, the councilman for Ward 3, expressed his interest in the topic in September when South Dakota's Republican Congressman, Dusty Johnson, proposed the "Block the Tok Act". This act would prohibit the installation of TikTok on federal devices, among other things.

In November, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a Republican, issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies, personnel, and contractors from using TikTok on state-owned devices. This prompted Mr. Salamun to consider a similar action for Rapid City. He consulted with the governor's staff to gain a better understanding of the issue and examined warnings from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mr. Salamun suggested that it is logical to have a conversation about the threat posed by various agencies, Congress, and state governments.

A few members of Rapid City's 10-person council have a different opinion on what is motivating Councilman Ritchie Nordstrom. Nordstrom believes that the TikTok proposal is a way to draw attention to himself in preparation for the June nonpartisan mayoral election. However, Mr. Salamun, a conservative, has not yet made a decision on whether or not he will run for mayor and insists that the proposal is about security, not politics.

Mr. Salamun attempted to gain backing for his proposal, but Laura Armstrong, who recently declared her candidacy for mayor, was unconvinced. "I didn't think he was serious," she commented. According to Ms. Armstrong, who identifies as a centrist Democrat, there are more pressing matters that the city needs to address. "We have an increase in crime," she noted. "We have an issue with meth."

Once she understood the proposal was genuine, she looked into the possible consequences. Among the things she discovered, the city's exhibition center could suffer since contracts with musicians necessitate the venue to advertise performances through TikTok, she noted.

The fire and police departments of the city have been utilizing TikTok to attract new recruits, and the Solid Waste department has a verified account with around 443 followers as of last week. One of their most popular videos was a reminder to citizens to place their yard-waste bags at least 4 feet away from their trash cans, as the mechanical arm of the garbage truck can tear the bags open.

At a Dec. 28 meeting of the city council's legal-and-finance committee, Ms. Armstrong expressed her doubts that TikTok posed a security threat that necessitated the council's involvement. She likened the situation to the fable of Chicken Little, saying, "With lack of evidence, it's almost like 'The sky is falling!'" Additionally, Ms. Armstrong was worried that prohibiting city agencies from using TikTok would make it more difficult for the government to communicate with young people.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Salamun emerged victorious in the first round. The committee voted in favor of the proposal, with a 3-2 majority, and it will be presented at the Tuesday council meeting.