American public opinion regarding a U.S. government ban on TikTok has undergone a noticeable shift, with support dropping significantly over the last two years, reveals a Pew Research Center survey published March 25.
The study finds U.S. adults are now almost evenly split, a contrast to earlier sentiment, even as parent company ByteDance faces a renewed federal deadline of June 19, 2025, to divest the app’s U.S. operations. Currently, 34% support a ban, down from 50% in March 2023, while 32% oppose it (up from 22%), and 33% remain undecided.
This evolving public mood coincides with a decreased perception of the platform as a danger, although concerns about data security and Chinese ownership persist for many. The legislative pressure stems from the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), signed into law in April 2024.
Following a Supreme Court decision in January upholding the government’s authority, ByteDance faced a divestment deadline. After an initial pause, President Trump signed another executive order on April 4, 2025, extending the divestment timeframe again to June 19. On that same day, ByteDance acknowledged ongoing talks with the U.S. government but stated, “An agreement has not been executed.”
Perceptions Of Risk And Reasons For Concern
Mirroring the decline in support for a ban, fewer Americans now categorize TikTok as a threat to national security compared to May 2023. The Pew survey (conducted Feb 24 – Mar 2, 2025) shows 49% currently view it as a major or minor threat, down from 59%.
The most significant drop was among those seeing it as a major threat, falling from 29% to 21%. Federal officials have previously argued that TikTok’s data practices posed espionage risks, with the Supreme Court noting in its January ruling, “Access to such detailed information about U.S. users may enable China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”
Despite these concerns, 23% currently believe TikTok poses no threat, and 27% are uncertain. This erosion of concern is evident across party lines, though Republicans (54%) remain more likely than Democrats (46%) to see TikTok as a threat. Republican perception of a threat has dropped sharply from 70% in May 2023, with the share calling it a major threat decreasing from 41% to 25%. Democrat views have softened less dramatically, dipping from 53% viewing it as a threat last year.
Understanding The Divide: Data Fears vs. Speech Rights
The Pew survey delved into the reasons behind Americans’ stances. For the 34% favoring a ban, data security and ownership are primary drivers. A large majority (83%) cite the risk to users’ data security as a major reason for their support, and 75% point to concerns about the platform being owned by a Chinese company.
Fewer cite the amount of inaccurate information (54%) or the time people spend on the app (46%) as major factors. Republican supporters are more likely than Democrats to name Chinese ownership as a major reason (81% vs. 68%), while Democrats are more focused on inaccurate information (64% vs. 46%).
Conversely, among the 32% opposing a ban, free expression is the leading rationale. Nearly three-quarters (74%) cite the potential restriction of free speech as a major reason. Other significant factors for opponents include TikTok serving as a source of information and entertainment (63% major reason), a perceived lack of evidence proving a national security threat (61%), and potential harm to individuals relying on the app for income (48%).
Notably, while free speech concerns unite opponents across party lines, Democrats opposing a ban are somewhat more likely than Republicans to cite lack of evidence (66% vs 55%) and harm to creators (51% vs 43%) as major reasons. The user divide remains stark: 45% of non-users support a ban, compared to only 12% of TikTok users.
Deadline Looms Amid Corporate Negotiations
This backdrop of divided public opinion sets the stage for complex negotiations as the June 19 deadline nears. Corporate activity has intensified, with venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) entering discussions in early April to potentially back a U.S. investor group aiming to acquire TikTok. This group reportedly involves Oracle, which has prior experience negotiating over TikTok and is seen as a likely partner to manage the app’s technical operations under U.S. oversight.
However, any deal faces significant obstacles centered on the app’s core technology: its recommendation algorithm. This machine learning system powers the personalized “For You” feed, making it TikTok’s most valuable asset. ByteDance has indicated it has no plans to sell TikTok and would reportedly prefer a U.S. shutdown over parting with the algorithm itself. Replicating such a sophisticated system presents considerable technical and user adoption challenges. Valuation also remains a hurdle, with estimates for the U.S. business ranging from $30 billion to $50 billion.
Alternative Visions And Market Impact
While the Oracle-led consortium appears prominent, other proposals exist. AI startup Perplexity AI publicly offered to acquire TikTok’s U.S. assets, rebuild its systems with an open-source algorithm, ensure U.S. data hosting, and implement civic oversight. Their proposal stated, “Our promise is to turn TikTok into the most neutral and trusted platform in the world.”
In a revised bid, Perplexity even suggested the US government could hold up to 50% equity in a new entity, contingent on ByteDance selling without the algorithm. Another bid, formalized in January by billionaire Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty, aims to transform the platform into “digital public infrastructure.” More recently, Amazon and AppLovin were also reported as potential bidders.
The ongoing uncertainty has tangible consequences. When TikTok was temporarily removed from app stores earlier this year (returning Feb 14), it disrupted operations for over seven million small businesses reliant on its advertising tools. While the immediate ban threat is paused until June 19, the lack of resolution continues to cast a shadow over the platform’s U.S. future. Some lawmakers have also urged President Trump to seek a legislative solution rather than relying solely on executive orders, citing legal uncertainties.
