The TikTok ban and shutdown marked a historical event on the internet, comparable to the Wikileaks ban. The popular social media platform was banned due to unverified claims that it was collecting US citizens' data for the Chinese government. Although the platform is now back, the ban demonstrates the fragility of building digital platforms as commercial entities.
The platform was no small player in the digital ecosystem. At the time of the ban, it boasted 170 million users in the US and billions worldwide, yet on January 19, it disappeared without a trace (in the US). It was an economic enabler for content creators. Young people relied on the platform to access information. The value of this platform is not debatable. So, how was it possible for it to be removed in the US?
A legal instrument was used and whichever entity was hosting the platform removed it from its servers. More importantly, it was removed from the App Store (Apple-owned) and Play Store (Google/Alphabet-owned).
The manner in which this platform was temporarily removed indicates how easily any other app could be deactivated.
Although TikTok has been reinstated under conditions, its removal should serve as a lesson. As part of creating a platform, it’s not enough to establish only a digital presence. Creators of digital platforms ought to consider other forms of existence that go beyond the app stores.
The existence of digital platforms must be complemented by a physical presence. A digital business that develops a physical community can exist beyond the destruction of its digital presence. This is even more important in the age of AI. Businesses now trying to find their place in the AI realm often overlook a key point: AI presence, if not built by the business itself, creates dependency. Most businesses moving towards AI are building their operations on foundations controlled by others.
In the same way the app economy is dependent on the two major app stores, AI is also dominated by a handful of tech giants. As leaders reflect on their strategies, they need to understand that building digital-only businesses is akin to building on shaky grounds.
The TikTok ban will change how digital platforms are perceived. In the past, they were highly valued and considered safe bets. What has just happened to TikTok may have shaken the strong belief in the resilience of digital platforms. This situation also calls for the independence of the app ecosystem. The fact that major entities, Apple and Google, dominate app stores creates vulnerabilities for others. App stores should be independent of national and commercial interests. A global app store, free from government interference, ought to be the next logical step for global leaders.
For now, it’s TikTok. Tomorrow, it could be another platform built outside of the US. Although the splinternet (fragmentation of the internet) is not ideal, such developments may lead to a world that embraces divisions in the digital sphere. A global digital infrastructure is needed if we are to build resilient digital platforms that are not vulnerable to political winds.
Wikileaks suffered, and TikTok has become another victim. Who else will suffer at the hands of the powerful entities of the world?
Wesley Diphoko is a Technology Analyst and Editor-In-Chief of FastCompany (SA) magazine.
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