Snap CEO Evan Spiegel says the company would love a US TikTok ban — but only in the short term.
Spiegel was asked by a reporter at the Snap Partner Summit on Wednesday if he thought Congress should ban TikTok.
"We'd love that. In the short term," he answered. "In the short term, that is something that would help us out."
However, he also acknowledged that a ban could set a dangerous precedent for other platforms.
"I think there are some big questions about what that would mean longer term, single out a single technology company, instead of developing a more comprehensive regulatory well," he said.
TikTok, which has been under scrutiny since 2020, is being reviewed by Congress. It could be banned if the app's Chinese owners don't sell their stakes, according to The Wall Street Journal.
US lawmakers are concerned about data privacy, the spread of misinformation, and the safety of minors. Data and privacy concerns have been stoked by the platform's ties to China via its parent company ByteDance.
Last week, Montana became the first US state to approve a bill banning the video app.
"It is important for us to be thoughtful and really develop a regulatory framework to deal with security concerns, especially around technology," Spiegel said at the event. "I think based on the information that is publicly available, there are legitimate national security concerns far above my pay grade."
TikTok has been hugely popular with users, putting pressure on other social-media platforms to emulate its success. Snap, originally known as Snapchat, has tried to keep up with TikTok's success by rolling out a creator program and a short-form video feed.
