TikTok tries to lure US, send India a message: But who really got 'hurt', 'baffled'?

TikTok is indeed China's global soft power.

For some, the app is a harmless video-sharing platform to encouarge hidden talent. However, many people see it as a platform for vulgarity and a national security threat.

Weeks after India officially banned TikTok, the US is thinking on similar lines.

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The US fears that the data of their citizens is being used by China.

Earlier this week, a US Senate approved a bill, which bars federal employees from downloading and using TikTok. It is titled: 'No TikTok on Government Devices Act'.

This means no member or employee of the US Congress, government corporation will be allowed to download TikTok.

Not just TikTok, they are not allowed to download any app developed by TikTok's parent company ByteDance.

So far, the ban is limited to government employees, but there is a rising demand in US that a similar measure should be adopted for the entire American population.

For TikTok, America is its third largest market and the nation contributed to 8 per cent of the company's overall installations between January and June.

They cannot afford another major ouster and so they are presenting a more friendly face. They are injecting more cash to win hearts to the Americans.

TikTok has introduced a $200 million fund to reward American creators, known as TikTok Creator Fund.

The video-creating app will start accepting applications from August 18.

TikTok owners say under this fund, they will offer payouts to influencers who meet a certain baseline for the number of followers. It is also promising to help them collaborate on paid campaigns with brands.

This move is also meant to send out a message to countries like India that have already banned TikTok.

For weeks, the Chinese state media has been pushing propaganda stories about Indian TikTok stars going out of work with the decision by the government.

One article by Global Times headline said: "Indian app users, influencers baffled, hurt by ban of China's TikTok".

They use words like "hurt" and "baffled", which was felt by all the Indians after the Galwan Valley incident in Ladakh, in which 20 Indian Army personnel were martyred.

The Wuhan virus has "baffled" global economies, "hurt" investors, businesses and made thousands jobless, apart from killing millions.

As many as 213 countries and territories have been "hurt" and "baffled" by this pandemic.

Several of these countries are reimposing lockdowns keeping in mind a surge in new cases.

And only one nation has to be blamed for this, whose media gives sermons to India on how not to "hurt" and "baffle" others.