According to various news sources, TikTok will be banned from all app stores, essentially shutting down the platform in the United States. The app is owned by the Chinese company “ByteDance”, and the U.S. government views it as a threat to national security. The government recognizes the importance of TikTok to our country’s culture and economy, so they have given ByteDance an ultimatum. The company can sell the app to an American company, or TikTok will be banned in the U.S. entirely. TikTok has repeatedly said that it will not sell its U.S. operation. “We can’t be expected to comment on pure fiction,” a TikTok spokesperson told BBC News. The impending ban on the app is causing U.S. citizens to ask the question. Are we for or against this movement?
TikTok has over 1 million creators, each one having unique talents and creativity that they love to share with the world. It also helps people who have trouble connecting with people to get themselves out of their comfort zone and be themselves. Many people in the United States love to spend time exploring all of the amazing people who they share a country with, and I believe that the ban on TikTok will only discourage people from sharing and connecting. Meah Aranda, a freshman at GHS shared with us how she feels about the situation. She says that TikTok helps her through the day, being inspired by all of her favorite creators. Meah and many of her classmates agree that the ban on TikTok is a poor decision and should not be followed through with
TikTok is also a great way to exercise the 1st Amendment right, freedom of speech. If the government is going to give us a right to free speech, then why on earth should they take away an opportunity to use it? The ban truly contradicts the law. I spoke with one of the teachers here at GHS, Mrs Huitt, and I asked about her opinion. Mrs. Huitt said that she wasn’t really on social media, but she did believe in freedom of speech. This interaction supports the argument that taking away TikTok is a violation of the rights of all American citizens who use it.
Despite the majority of TikTok users having unwavering support for the app, there are still some who believe a ban would be extremely beneficial for user’s physical and mental health.
TikTok is best known for sharing trendy content and different ideas among algorithms through its video making features. However, the app is also a main proprietor of cyberbullying, online harassment, and much more. Many who participate on the app have found themselves subjected to hate fueled comments, videos, and banning. Not only is this supporting a culture of online hostility, it exposes young people on the app to dangerous and inappropriate content. The mental toll this takes on users is grim.
Even more so, physical activity for young people has reached an extreme low, says an article from the World Health Organization. This is of course attributed to the increased usage of technology, especially TikTok. Due to the repetitive scrolling nature of the app and condensed content, watching multiple videos in a row can keep users stuck in a cycle of continuous scrolling, or “doom scrolling”. This loop makes it difficult to break away from the app, thus reducing the amount of time spent working out, being active, etc.
Furthermore, TikTok is well known for its branch of “brain rot”. According to Yahoo!News article “What is ‘brain rot’? TikTokers are using the term to describe the impact of being ‘chronically online’,” written by Kelsey Weekman, the term is described as “the idea that the internet is “rotting” the brains of frequent users who are “extremely online” or “chronically online,”” Clearly from this definition, some parts of TikTok are not suitable for developing brains, which is the majority of the app’s users.
Even people within the community hold similar opinions. Maccee Wilde, a senior at Graham High School, believes that the TikTok ban would be beneficial to society. She thinks that time spent scrolling through TikTok and other platforms could be better spent being active or doing something productive. She also believes that the app (among others) spreads hate very easily.
Maria Waller, a Spanish teacher at Graham High School, shares similar views. However, hers are more indifferent. She doesn’t hold strong beliefs about the TikTok ban, but does believe that social media is extremely draining, and can become an addiction.
TikTok is an app that practically everyone knows about. The question of its ban has been a hot topic for the past several years. Different opinions flood platforms discussing both sides of the ban. Whether for or against it, the answer is simple; something has to be done.
