Friending or Blocking? U.S. Public Attitudes toward Restricting Foreign Social Media Apps

Abstract

Abstract What influences U.S. public support for bans of foreign social media applications? In particular, how do concerns about national security, economic opportunities and threats (such as industrial espionage), reciprocal market access, and the policies and traits of an app influence individual support for banning? We address these questions through a conjoint experiment conducted in November 2024 (N = 1,494). Respondents weighed security threats (such as risks to military interests) and economic interests (including job creation and reciprocal market access) heavily. Concerns about social media platforms themselves, such as strong data privacy protection and content moderation, also mattered, but to a lesser extent. A recontact survey conducted in spring 2025, after President Trump’s decision to reverse the January 2025 TikTok ban, shows stability over time. Overall, our findings reveal a surprisingly strong and stable consensus about what factors promote support for bans—with TikTok-like features arousing opposition among the American public. Nuanced differences do emerge: Republicans and Democrats differ over content moderation policies, while TikTok users and nonusers diverge regarding security threats and owners’ ties to governments. Our findings underscore the importance of the geopolitical and economic implications of foreign apps as well as how consumer experiences influence threat perceptions.