As we approach the April 5 deadline for the U.S. to ban the video-based social media platform TikTok, a new Pew Research study found public opinion of the ban is shifting. The original deadline for the ban was January 19, but was extended by President Trump.
In March 2023, half (50%) of all those surveyed said they supported the removal of TikTok from devices operating in the country. In the most recent survey, taken between February 24 and March 2, 2025, support for the ban fell to 33%. This is roughly the same percentage of respondents (32%) who oppose the ban or are unsure (33%).
Between 2023 and the most recent survey, Republican support for banning TikTok has fallen from 60% to 39%, and Democratic support for the ban has dropped from 43% to 30%.
Concerns over data security fuel most respondents’ opinion on the ban, with 95% saying it is either a major (83%) or minor (12%) issue. Other factors affecting support for the ban include concerns about TikTok being a Chinese-owned company (91%), the amount of inaccurate information on the app (79%), and the amount of time people spend on the app (69%).
Conversely, 90% of those who oppose the TikTok ban cite free speech as either a major (74%) or minor (15%) concern.
Between the 2023 and 2025 surveys, concerns that TikTok threatens national security have fallen from 59% to 49%.
More information on the Pew study, including the survey’s questions and methodology, can be found here.
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