TikTok Factor
When the US and the West find it hard to swallow the fact that a non-Western company or country has an unfair technological advantage over their local firms, which are often or mostly run by foreign talents, be it in terms of algorithmic supremacy, hacking superiority, or advanced security—one knee-jerk reaction is to ban their product on the pretext of mental health, privacy, and national security, or to force the foreign entity to sell its product to a local player.
Whether you’re in a developed or developing country, if you can’t compete with a foreign competitor, get your politicians to pass laws to limit or stop them from benefiting the population, by pointing out the negatives or potential risks of their products or services—let the TikTok factor be part of your strategy to neutralize the competition or the enemy.