TikTok Employees Dismiss Ban Concerns as Election Approaches

Inside TikTok, employees have shown a marked shift in their attitudes towards the potential ban of the app as the US elections draw near. A product manager in San Jose noted that he was more anxious about the possibility of a ban before joining the company earlier in the year, revealing that conversations about the ban have significantly decreased among his colleagues. Most employees at TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have reported an ongoing indifference towards national politics and the elections. Despite Donald Trump's previous committals to spare TikTok in America during his campaign, the uncertainty surrounding whether he would maintain this stance if elected looms large. The PAFACA Act may lead to a ban if no divestiture occurs, but legal experts highlight that any president, including a potential future Trump administration, may struggle to reverse the ban without bipartisan support. As confidence in the continuation of their employment remains high, employees express little worry about the later implications of a ban, with many believing they could find work in the tech sector or be reassigned within ByteDance. The lack of discussions about the future of TikTok indicates a shift towards a focus on the day-to-day operations of the company rather than political uncertainties. Ultimately, workers appear to adopt a ‘business as usual’ mentality, focusing on product development while the government deliberates on the app's fate in the US.