Over the last several years, there has been much talk about our beloved entertainment app, TikTok, being banned.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, and the rumor is that the Chinese government is taking private information from TikTok and selling or distributing it maliciously.
While there is certainly many security concerns for TikTok, CNN reported that “To date, there is no public evidence that Beijing has actually harvested TikTok’s commercial data for intelligence or other purposes.”
How will the TikTok ban work? While the app will not just be automatically taken off all devices, it will not be available on the app store, and it will no longer update, rendering it useless after about a week, as the app is constantly updating on its own. The ban will take place on January 19, 2025, unless the Supreme Court changes their decision.
Sophomore Gabby Fontaine says “[The ban] is so stupid. I don’t think the Chinese government is stealing our stuff.”
There can also be a bright side to this rather addicting app getting banned. Junior Josephine Stachelsky says, “I think it’s somewhat of a good thing, I myself get really addicted to it, but also I am going to miss the music and music related content.”
Over 60% of US teens have or use TikTok, and many use it almost constantly.
Regardless, many teens will miss the app. It has become a way of documenting special moments such as school dances, graduations, and first days of school, through transition videos and many others.
It has also created a career for many young influencers. Sure there are other platforms, but it is very easy to reach a large audience on TikTok.
Many aspects of the app will be missed by a great number of people, but at the end of the day, public safety becomes the priority.
