On Thursday, Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, called for a ban on ByteDance-owned TikTok, citing national security risks.
What Happened: Taking to X, the wealth manager did not mince words, alleging that the app is being used by the Chinese government as a tool to manipulate and undermine the U.S.
WE MUST BAN TIKTOK. END THE CHINESE CONTROL OF OUR YOUTH.
— Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) January 16, 2025
In a follow-up post, Gerber highlighted the app’s role in dividing Americans and supporting terrorism. “It is a national security risk. End of story. It’s used to divide us and support terrorism,” he stated.
Some people out their seem to a bit _____. The Chinese government uses TikTok against America. It is a national security risk. End of story. It’s used to divide us and support terrorism.
— Ross Gerber (@GerberKawasaki) January 16, 2025
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Why It Matters: The call for a TikTok ban by Gerber comes at a time when the app’s future in the U.S. is uncertain. It is expected to take effect on Sunday.
The Joe Biden administration has already deferred the decision on the ban to the incoming Donald Trump administration, leaving TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users in limbo.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew is reportedly set to attend President-elect Trump’s inauguration, joining other tech leaders like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.
His statement also comes amid discussions of potential buyers for TikTok’s U.S. operations, including Jimmy Donaldson, popularly known as MrBeast, and Tesla CEO Musk.
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