My personal experience with TikTok has been nothing short of invasive and disrespectful. Without my consent, a customer at my place of work filmed me during a dispute and posted the video on TikTok. My numerous attempts to contact TikTok to have the unauthorized video removed were met with silence - no response to numerous emails and calls.

Not only is this a gross invasion of privacy, but it is also a legal violation under several privacy laws in various states. The lack of intervention by TikTok is just one instance of the platform's neglect to adhere to ethical practices.

However, beyond my encounter, this is a larger issue. TikTok was previously banned in the United States due to concerns over privacy and security risks associated to its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance (source: The Verge, 2020). In an age where digital privacy is increasingly relevant, it is essential that foreign-based apps with expansive user reach adhere to the strictest security measures, or face rightful restriction from the market.

It's time for this to change. We need more than mere reassurances, we need concrete actions undertaken to protect user rights and data privacy. Let's uphold the ban on TikTok in the United States to encourage this globally influential platform to reform its approach to privacy concerns. Please, sign this petition and join us in demanding this change.