Support for a U.S. government ban on TikTok has fallen to 32%, down from 50% in March 2023, shows a new Pew Research Center survey conducted from July 15 to August 4, 2024.

“As public support for a TikTok ban continues to decline, many U.S. adults are skeptical or unsure such a ban will happen,” Pew’s analysts state.

These findings come as TikTok faces ongoing scrutiny. President Biden signed legislation in April requiring ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to sell the app or face a U.S. ban. Legal challenges to this law are now proceeding through the courts.

Inside Political Parties 

The decline in support crosses party lines. 

Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 42% now favor a ban, down from 60% in March 2023. For Democrats and Democratic leaners, support has dropped to 24% from 43% over the same period.

In July, Vice President Kamala Harris launched an official TikTok account for the 2024 presidential campaign. The move came as she emerged as the Democratic Party’s leading presidential nominee following Biden’s withdrawal from the race.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also launched his TikTok account as part of the Harris campaign’s expanded efforts to reach younger voters. 

The Republican side launched the PAC Send the Vote, reportedly funded by $20 million and backed by pro-Trump influencers, to mobilize young male voters for the 2024 election.

The voter turnout initiative featured popular YouTube personalities, the Nelk Boys, and various UFC fighters in its outreach efforts.

Trump recently expressed support for TikTok, diverting from his previous stance to prohibit the platform during his presidency.

Users and Non-Users

Opposition to a ban has grown from 22% to 28% since March 2023, while the share of Americans unsure about the issue has risen from 28% to 39%.

TikTok usage appears to strongly influence opinions. Among users, 61% oppose a ban, with only 10% in favor. Non-users are split, with 42% supporting a ban and 43% uncertain.

The survey also gauged perceptions of a ban’s likelihood. Half of Americans believe it’s unlikely TikTok will be banned in the U.S., while 31% think it’s likely. This skepticism is consistent across party lines and TikTok usage patterns.

The shift in public opinion occurs against a backdrop of increasing TikTok usage in the U.S. Previous Pew research from May 2023 found partisan differences in perceptions of TikTok as a national security threat, with Republicans more likely than Democrats to view it as such.

ByteDance has until January to sell the app or face a ban in the U.S. under the law signed by Biden. That deadline can be pushed back 90 days if a sale seems to be in progress, and legal action could further delay a ban from taking effect.