The future of Chinese-owned social media site TikTok remains in doubt after a federal appeals court ruled Friday to uphold a law that could lead to its ban in the United States. A Northeastern University media expert says a ban could have major negative consequences for U.S. companies operating in other countries. “My overall take is that there are going to be second- and third-order consequences from this we can’t fully anticipate,” says John Wihbey, associate professor of media innovation and technology at Northeastern.
The foremost U.S. social media companies and internet platforms –– namely Alphabet, Meta and X –– all operate in countries around the world, each with their own set of regulations, stipulations and restrictions, explains Wihbey, who is set to publish a book, “Governing Babel: The Debate over Social Media Platforms and Free Speech – and What Comes Next.”
