Every Screen on the Planet: The War Over TikTok

Forbes investigative journalist Baker-White debuts with an in-depth account of the struggle between the U.S. and China to control TikTok. She details the meteoric rise of the video-sharing app launched in 2016 by Chinese tech company ByteDance, and profiles those responsible for its growth, including founder Zhang Yiming, who helped develop the app’s recommendation algorithm. TikTok exploded during the Covid-19 pandemic, becoming the first Chinese social media app to be widely adopted in the U.S. A legal battle ensued between the two countries as American lawmakers grew concerned about the app’s ability to surveil users and sway public opinion. In gripping detail, Baker-White explains how, with the help of whistleblowers in 2022, she broke the story that private U.S. user data was available to ByteDance employees in China and exposed the company’s efforts to surveil U.S. citizens, including herself. She offers a comprehensive account of congressional efforts to force ByteDance to sell TikTok, exploring the nuances of the debate between people concerned about freedom of speech and those worried about national security. Readers will be riveted. (Sept.)