Neuroscientist Michael Rhodes (from left), the organic chemist known as Chem Thug and neuroscientist Morgan Johnston all use the social-media app TikTok to communicate science. Credits L-R: Michael Rhodes/rhodeslovesneuroscience/TikTok; Chem Thug; AskANeuroscientist/TikTok US President Joe Biden signed legislation last month that could trigger a nationwide ban of the popular social-media app TikTok within a year. Researchers who use the app to communicate science to curious followers, study social trends and earn money to support themselves are dismayed and frustrated. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a firm based in Beijing, China ' which, amid growing US'China tensions, has raised national-security concerns among US officials, related to the Chinese government's access to user data. On 7 May, TikTok filed a lawsuit calling the legislation, which gives ByteDance nine months to a year to find a US-based buyer for the app, an 'extraordinary intrusion on free speech rights'. If the ban...
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