Politics

Should The U.S. Ban TikTok?

With one billion active users across more than 150 countries, TikTok is by many measures the world’s most successful video app. Nearly one in three Americans have an account. It is the most downloaded app since 2021. And like virtually all of social media, user privacy concerns abound. But TikTok adds an extra layer. Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, there are worries that U.S. data could be transmitted to China’s government, despite assurances from the company that it is not. Those concerns prompted President Joe Biden to ban TikTok from government phones. More than half of U.S. states have similar controls in…

February 17, 2023
February 17, 2023

Should The U.S. Ban TikTok?

With one billion active users across more than 150 countries, TikTok is by many measures the world’s most successful video app. Nearly one in three Americans have an account. It is the most downloaded app since 2021. And like virtually all of social media, user privacy concerns abound. But TikTok adds an extra layer. Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, there are worries that U.S. data could be transmitted to China’s government, despite assurances from the company that it is not. Those concerns prompted President Joe Biden to ban TikTok from government phones. More than half of U.S. states have similar controls in…

Has Citizens United Undermined Democracy?

In a high-stakes presidential election year, in partnership with the Newt and Jo Minow Debate Series at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, Open to Debate is taking a look at more than a decade of…

Unresolved: The Iran Threat

Post-October 7th, Iran's presence in the Middle East—and on the world stage—is growing stronger, many say, given its nuclear ambitions and its use of proxies in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, most recently disrupting shipping…

Is the Republican Party’s Refusal to Raise Taxes Fiscally Irresponsible?

Whoever wins the 2024 election will soon face a critical decision about extending four trillion dollars in tax cuts expiring next year. Whether taxes will be raised, or cut is in question, against the backdrop…

David Petraeus and Andrew Roberts on Conflict, War, and Debate

Debate is a form of conflict that is played out through words, arguments, civility, and the capability to exchange ideas with people we disagree with. But what happens when debate fails — and what leads…

Mock Trial: Is Trump Guilty in the January 6th Case?

In a new “Mock Trial” debate format, Open to Debate will take on the most important legal questions of our time, with each episode focusing on a high-profile case unfolding in the public square. We’ll…

Urgent Debate: Securing the Border

In recent years, the U.S. has seen a surge in the number of migrants and asylum seekers at its borders, which has strained existing border security and immigration systems. The Secure the Border Act of…
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