The Problem the US TikTok Crackdown and Kaspersky Ban Have in Common

The U.S. Commerce Department will ban new sales of Kaspersky antivirus, citing national security risks tied to potential Russian government influence, marking the first such ban on a cybersecurity product. The move is contrasted with ongoing U.S. actions toward TikTok—facing a forced divestiture and mounting legal challenges—prompting debate over security versus a free and open internet. Kaspersky disputes the decision as geopolitically motivated, while critics note antivirus tools’ deep system access heightens concern compared to a sandboxed social media app.