My personal experience as a daily user of Bytedance apps – TikTok, CapCut, and Lemon8 - paints a more personal testament to the unfair impact of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. This legislation, unfortunately, threatens not just my enjoyment, but that of millions of other Americans who leverage these apps for creativity, connection, and entertainment.

Based on data from SensorTower, TikTok was downloaded 89 million times in the U.S in 2020 [1]. This shows that TikTok, alongside others like CapCut and Lemon8, forms an infrastructural part of people's daily life, either as a platform for entertainment, creativity, or as a livelihood source for content creators.

The Act creates a blanket ban on these apps and stifles the digital expression of millions of Americans. We understand the need for cybersecurity, but we urge our policymakers to consider alternative, more nuanced measures that do not infringe on our digital rights, and do not deny us access to these platforms.

Let's urge the U.S Congress to reconsider and reverse the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. Sign the petition now and support our endeavor to keep these platforms accessible for all.