World

‘Death by a thousand cuts:’ US TikTok bans gain ground

Soon after Texas university students returned to classes in January, they received a note from the IT department informing them of a new rule: they could no longer access TikTok, the popular video app, on university Wi-Fi.

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Students had mixed feelings. “There are legitimate security concerns with the app,” said Adam Nguyen, a 19-year-old computer science major at the University of Texas at Austin.

“But people should be able to make their own decisions – this sets a dangerous precedent with the university deciding what sorts of things you can do on the network,” he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The move comes as part of a swirl of efforts to limit the use of TikTok – which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance – in the US, over fears that US user data could be passed on to China’s government.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to hold a vote this month on a bill aimed at blocking the use of TikTok in the US.

“There are real concerns about data gathering by Chinese companies,” said Aynne Kokas, a professor of the University of Virginia, and author of the book Trafficking Data: How China Is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty.

“But the idea that this problem goes away if you ban TikTok, that’s just not true.”

For three years, TikTok – which has more than 100 million US users – has been seeking to assure Washington that the personal data of US citizens cannot be accessed and its content cannot be manipulated by China’s Communist Party or anyone else under Beijing’s influence.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment, but has said in past statements that bans are based on “unfounded falsehoods about TikTok”.

‘Death by a thousand cuts’

TikTok has been the most downloaded app in the US since 2021, according to data from Sensor Tower, a data analytics company.

In December last year President Joe Biden signed a law banning TikTok from government devices and more than half of US states have passed similar restrictions, with college campuses and even some elementary schools following suit.

Sarah Kreps, director at the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University, said the ban should be seen within the context of a more-than-decades long effort by the US to limit the spread of Chinese technology.

“It’s part of this larger government effort to slow down Chinese progress and impede their ability to engage in surveillance of Americans,” she said, pointing to restrictions on imports on hardware by China’s tech giant Huawei and telecom equipment maker ZTE going back over a decade.

US courts blocked a move by the Trump administration in 2020 to ban the Chinese messaging app WeChat from Apple and Google’s app stores, citing free speech concerns.

Kreps said the concerns over surveillance are credible, pointing to a report from Forbes magazine in December that found ByteDance had used the TikTok app to track multiple journalists to discover the source of leaks.

Kreps said she understood the need to limit TikTok’s access to government devices, but efforts to ban the app more broadly were likely motivated by political and commercial concerns aimed at slowing TikTok’s spread, rather than banning it outright, she added.

“Right now we are looking at a patchwork approach – it’s not very effective,” she said. “It feels like death by a thousand cuts.”

Students can easily bypass the bans by using their own data – and government workers are still able to access TikTok from personal devices.

Data protection

Kokas of the University of Virginia said the focus on TikTok underscores the US failure to pass comprehensive data protection laws that could address data privacy issues across multiple platforms.

“It’s a destabilizing effort to target an individual company, rather than a serious effort to carefully examine and address the extractive and exploitative US tech environment when it comes to data,” she said.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat pushing to ban TikTok from operating in the US, pointed to Huawei, which has faced bans on its products from the United States and other countries, as an example of a global response to security concerns.

“When you have … 140 million Americans’ user data and algorithms ultimately, potentially controlled by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), that’s a problem,” Krishnamoorthi said in a phone interview.

The legislation Rep. Krishnamoorthi and Wisconsin’s Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher introduced in the House does single out TikTok and Bytedance.

But it also leaves room for restrictions on social media companies housed in countries of “concern” which include China, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, according to the bill text.

The bans have ignited a broader debate over internet sovereignty and the trade-offs countries face for seeking to counter China’s influence in the technology space.

Daniel Lyons of Boston College Law School said the college campus bans and broader bans on TikTok do raise concerns over free speech, which is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

“A flat ban on using TikTok at all infringes (on) a lot more speech than necessary to limit the flow of sensitive information to China,” he said.

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council did not provide comment on legislation to ban TikTok from operating in the US and security issues surrounding the app.

Policymaking

In addition to bills pending in Congress, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) has been in talks with TikTok for more than two years on a path forward after ordering ByteDance to divest TikTok in 2020 over concerns that user data could be passed onto the Chinese government.

In 2019, CFIUS forced Chinese gaming company Kunlun to divest from gay dating app Grindr, citing data privacy concerns.

TikTok has floated a plan that would have US tech giant Oracle store data of the app’s US users and a US security division oversee data protection and content moderation decisions.

Krishnamoorthi stressed that policymakers must ensure the debate avoids getting steered toward xenophobia or racism. For example, anti-Asian rhetoric ramped up during the coronavirus pandemic, including expressions like “China virus” that were frequently used by former President Donald Trump.

“That being said, we have to be cognizant that the CCP is a real threat,” he said. “In light of that, we have to counter those threats.”

Aubrey Flores, a 20-year-old sophomore at Texas A&M University who enjoys watching TikTok videos, still welcomed the ban.

“If we have to make sacrifices due to bans or restrictions as consumers for our own safety then we should accept that,” she said.

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More US states ban TikTok from state devices on security concerns

World

Saudi Fund for Development Celebrates 50 Years of Global Impact with Over $20 Billion in Development Contributions

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) celebrated its 50th anniversary in Riyadh today, under
the theme “50 Years of Global Impact.”The event brought together key development partners to
reflect on the SFD’s significant contributions to sustainable development worldwide. Over the
past five decades, the SFD has allocated over $20 billion, financing more than 800 development
projects and programs in vital sectors, including social infrastructure (education, healthcare,
water and sewage, and housing and urban development), communication and transportation
(roads, railways, airports and seaports), energy, agriculture, mining and industry, and others.
Since its inception in 1974, the SFD has been the international development arm of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia and has provided critical support to over 100 developing nations around the
world. With a strong focus on supporting countries to achieve the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), the SFD has played a pivotal role in driving sustainable development in Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
During the event, SFD Chairman H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb emphasized the importance of
collaboration in driving global development. He highlighted that SFD’s success is deeply rooted
in its partnerships, with 27 development projects and programs in 23 developing countries in
2023 co-financed with other funders. He also underscored the need to forge new partnerships and
strengthen existing ones to create a world where every individual has the opportunity to reach
their full potential.
Reflecting on this significant milestone, the SFD CEO , Mr. Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-
Marshad, stated: “As we celebrate five decades of impactful work, we are committed, now more
than ever, to supporting developing countries on their journey to economic self-reliance and
resilience. Our goal is to ensure that all children can go to school, that education is not a
privilege but something every child should have access to, and that families have access to
healthcare and basic vital services. Equally, we focus on critical infrastructure development, like
building roads and enhancing airports and sea ports, so that countries can thrive and engage in
economic activities and trade. This work is not just about financing; it’s about tangibly
improving lives, creating opportunities, empowering communities, and building a more
prosperous future.”
On the sidelines of the 50 th Anniversary Gala, the SFD and the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
signed a new $25 million agreement to co-finance a renewable energy development project in the
Solomon Islands. This marks the first project for SFD in the Solomon Islands. The primary aim

of the project is to develop renewable energy infrastructure, reduce dependency on fossil fuels,
and promote sustainable development in the region.
This agreement builds on SFD’50 years of transformative impact through development projects
that have spanned Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern
Europe.
This includes key projects such as the Metolong Dam in Lesotho, which received $25 million in
funding and now provides potable water to 280,000 people, enhancing water security and public
hygiene and health in the region. This is just one of the 433 projects across Africa, with a total
funding of $11.5 billion, which focuses on critical areas such as infrastructure and water security.
In Asia, the SFD has funded 271 projects with a total funding of $7.8 billion. One notable
example is the SFD’s contribution to the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project in Pakistan, which
has an overall project cost of $240 million. The projects contributes to the country’s energy
security and flood resilience by generating 800 megawatts of renewable energy and storing 1.6
million cubic meters of water.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the SFD has financed 21 projects, totaling $951 million
USD. This includes rehabilitating the Water and Sewage System in Havana, Cuba, where the
SFD has allocated $35 million to enhance public infrastructure. Another significant initiative is
the rebuilding of St. Jude Hospital in Saint Lucia, supported by $75 million funding, which will
contribute to providing high-quality health services to citizens in a modern and sophisticated
facility and providing sufficient medical supplies and equipment to support the effective
operation of the hospital.
In Eastern Europe, the SFD has contributed to 14 projects with a total investment of $303
million. A key initiative is the construction of the Tirana-Elbasan-Chokos-Chalf-Ploce Road,
where the SFD provided $73.8 million to rebuild essential roads and bridges, thereby boosting
regional economic activities.
During the celebration, esteemed speakers shared insights on the SFD’s pivotal role in global
development, and in championing critical partnerships and collective action and response.
Keynote speakers included:

 HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal
Foundation
 H.E. Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SFD
 H.E. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group
 H.E. Muhammad Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank

These global development leaders emphasized the SFD’s commitment to fostering sustainable
growth in countries and communities with the most pressing developmental needs. The gala was attended by more than 500 people, including ministers, heads of regional and international organizations, ambassadors, representatives of the United and other distinguished
guests. As the SFD looks to the future, it reaffirms its mission and pledge to drive international
development efforts, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to contribute to global
stability, social progress, and economic prosperity for future generations.

World

Jordan warns of escalation in southern Lebanon

Jordan warned on Sunday of the increasing escalation in southern Lebanon and a potential regional war in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah discussed supporting Lebanon, its security, stability and the safety of its people and institutions, noting the need to adhere to Security Council Resolution 1701 to reduce and prevent further escalation and protect the region from the risk of slipping into a regional war.

Qudah added that the Israeli war on Gaza and the failure to reach an exchange agreement that leads to an immediate and permanent ceasefire puts the entire region at risk of the conflict expanding.

He discussed launching an effective international movement that imposes an immediate cessation of the aggression on Gaza.

World

China issues guidelines for coordinated digital, green transformation

China’s Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and nine central departments have issued new guidelines for the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Published on Saturday, the guidelines focus on two main areas: promoting the green, low-carbon development of digital industries and accelerating the green transformation of various sectors through digital technology.

They aim to accelerate the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, promote the integration of emerging technologies with green, low-carbon industries, and enhance traditional industries using digital and green technologies.

Outlining fundamental principles, the guidelines specify the roles of authorities, industry associations, universities, research institutes and businesses in driving this transition.

They provide a three-part framework covering the basic capacity, technological systems and industrial systems for digital-green integration.

Regions are encouraged to focus on high-quality development, develop new quality productive forces, leverage local resources and create specialized industries and functional advantages to accelerate coordinated digital and green development.