A recent study by the Pew Research Center has found that American support for banning TikTok has declined significantly over the past year. The survey of over 5,000 U.S. adults revealed that only 34% of respondents supported banning the short-form video app, a substantial drop from the 50% who supported a ban in 2023.

The study also showed that more Americans are growing opposed to the ban, with 32% of respondents opposing it, up from 22% in 2023. This trend was consistent across party lines, with support for the ban among Republican and Republican-leaning voters dropping from 60% to 30% since March 2023. Similarly, support among Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters dropped from 43% to 30%.

Interestingly, the study found that Americans who don't use TikTok were almost four times as likely to support the ban than those who do use the app. Only 12% of TikTok users supported the ban, compared to 45% of non-users. This suggests that personal experience with the app may play a significant role in shaping opinions on the issue.

Despite the decline in support for a ban, TikTok's fate in the U.S. remains uncertain. Last April, former President Joe Biden signed a law banning the app, citing concerns about potential Chinese surveillance. The law gave ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese owner, until January 19 to sell the app to an American company. However, the deadline was later extended by three months to April 19.

Several American companies, including Oracle, Microsoft, and Perplexity AI, have been rumored to be interested in buying TikTok. However, ByteDance has not indicated any plans to sell the app. The uncertainty surrounding TikTok's future has left many users and investors wondering what's next for the popular social media platform.

The decline in support for a TikTok ban may be attributed to the app's growing popularity and the lack of concrete evidence supporting claims of Chinese surveillance. Additionally, the Biden administration's decision to ban the app was met with criticism from some lawmakers and civil liberties groups, who argued that the move was an overreach of government authority.

As the debate surrounding TikTok's future continues, one thing is clear: the app's popularity and influence are undeniable. With over a billion active users worldwide, TikTok has become a cultural phenomenon, and its fate will likely have significant implications for the tech industry and beyond.