Emily Bezjak /  Copy Editor

TikTok Ban

     There has been much controversy recently about whether TikTok should be legal in the U.S. or not, which started an uproar in the TikTok community and many people were afraid of this shutdown. Influencers were afraid their jobs would be taken. 

     In 2020, the ban was first proposed by Donald Trump; he claimed the app was a national security threat because China had access to everyone’s information in the U.S. Multiple laws and different bills were pursued through these five years to keep TikTok on edge. 

     Influencers came to the platform and expressed their concern about the ban. Many videos on TikTok became people trying to stop the ban and find a way to fight the laws and lawmakers pushing through with the ban. 

     The U.S. officially banned TikTok on Jan. 19 and was banned for less than 24 hours, which had many users in an uproar. 

     “I am upset by the ban. Not only is it unreasonable, but it seems to just be a way to control the American people more. It damages people’s businesses as many Americans grew their companies off the platform,” senior Elise Mahoney said. 

      Many users transitioned to Rednote, the Chinese version of TikTok. Most of the videos were not in English, but the longer TikTok was threatening to get banned, the more users started moving to Rednote. 

      Rednote slowly started to get more and more videos in English. Rednote became more popular amongst different influencers and TikTok users in the U.S. Influencers were telling their followers to follow their different social media platforms.

     “I think the ban was important because it shows they really can take it away, and it was not just a threat. They are trying to keep us safe,” senior Kyra Bukowski said.

     TikTok being banned really showed people the government can take away anything with just a few laws and bills. 

     “I think it was stupid that it was less than 24 hours. If they really wanted to show they have the power, it should have been longer,” Bukowski said.

     Some users also feel there are many negatives about TikTok. Often videos come up of people with unrealistic or toxic lifestyles like many other social media platforms. 

     “My least favorite thing about TikTok is simply that it’s another social media platform with plenty of toxic and hateful people. Tiktok, like Instagram, also perpetuated unrealistic expectations for body image,” Mahoney said.

     With TikTok being back for users in the U.S., it shows that something can be taken away so easily but also brought back within hours. 

     “I don’t think it was pointless to ban it for less than 24 hours because it showed how badly everyone’s really addicted to it,” junior Austin Combs said.

     TikTok being banned really showed how people can be so addicted to something so small, like an app.