TikTok has faced a turbulent journey since its introduction in the U.S. in the fall of 2018. The platform allows for some content creators to make a sizable income, and provides regular users with a place to become inspired and be part of a community.
Recently, however, President Joe Biden signed legislation stating ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, must sell the company to a U.S. owner within a year in order for TikTok to remain available to American users, according to AP News.
Both Republican and Democrat lawmakers support the proposed ban, citing concerns that the Chinese government could force ByteDance to hand over data on TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users, according to BBC News.
In addition to TikTok potentially being a national security threat, several other reasons for the ban were discussed during a congressional hearing. TikTok’s addictive quality is leading to a decline in mental health among young people. It also increases the spread of misinformation and sells user data, which were all additional pillars of reasoning for banning TikTok, according to TechTarget.
Thirteen states have already filed lawsuits against TikTok, citing damages related to the platform’s addictive nature, and the negative impact on the mental health of children and teens.
“TikTok is a somewhat addictive platform. The Chinese spyware controversy around it is what I find to be the biggest problem and what, in my opinion, could be the ultimate reason for TikTok to be banned,” said Jules Levy-La Folie, a first-year communications major.
Despite its faults, TikTok’s popularity continues to rise, and the platform has become an invaluable tool for businesses looking to maximize clicks and amass consumer interest. According to CyberWise, TikTok allows creators to make a respectable income while also contributing to a community that is both user-friendly and up-to-date with current events and trends.
“I think the app should not be banned. The TikTok app should be bought from the parent company, ByteDance, and sold to another company. If not, the government should pressure them to make a holding company that owns TikTok, separating it from the Chinese roots. This would ease concerns about privacy, data access, and foreign influence, while allowing TikTok to continue operating under clever, more accountable corporate governance,” Sameer Khan, a fourth-year computer science major said.
TikTok, much like Instagram, is also known for glamorizing unrealistic lifestyles. “TikTok is the prevalence of unrealistic beauty standards and body ideals. Constant exposure to edited and filtered images can often lead many individuals into feeling aspects of inadequacy and poor self-image. With that being said, our own mental state is at risk the more time we spend on the platform,” Carl Zelaya, a fourth-year communications major said.
According to the University of New South Wales, “appearance-ideal content” has been proven to be very toxic, as it pressures users to live and look a certain way even though those curating this lifestyle aren’t truly experiencing it the way it’s being depicted. These lavish lifestyles are almost always a facade to garner attention, fame, and a paycheck. “Although, with this in mind, I believe that we still shouldn’t ban the platform in its entirety. What we need is control, discipline, and self-restraint…Self-restraint should be our priority,” Zelaya said.
