The new documentary TikTok Never Dies, directed by Hao Wu, chronicles the complex legal battle over the potential US ban of TikTok through the experiences of three American influencers.

Key Points

• The film premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival and covers the six-year saga from 2020 to 2026.
• Director Hao Wu follows three diverse TikTok creators—Steven King, Chloe Sexton, and Topher Townsend—who were involved in the legal challenge against the US government.
• The documentary captures the 2025 period when TikTok briefly went dark in the United States as a protest against the proposed ban.
• The narrative explores the shift in political stances, including Donald Trump’s transition from threatening a ban to brokering a sale of the app's US operations.
• The film focuses on American domestic perspectives and the tension between national security concerns and the protection of free speech.

Why it Matters

The documentary highlights how TikTok became a central battleground for American political anxieties regarding social media regulation and free speech. It serves as a case study on how legislative and judicial processes can be influenced by shifting political agendas rather than concrete evidence of harm.