Story by Logan Tromp, Opinion Columnist
American TikTok users and content creators may have to scramble to a different social media platform if a new bill proposing to ban TikTok gets signed into law. It has already passed in the House of Representatives, and it is currently in the Senate where President Biden states that he would sign off on the bill if it arrives at his desk. This is grim news for some, but many are supportive of the new bill. A driving force behind this bill is the national security concerns related to the Chinese parent company, Bytedance. Unless TikTok goes under new ownership, people can say goodbye to their beloved entertainment.
What would a TikTok ban mean for US citizens as a whole? Banning one of the most popular social media platforms is certainly a major task that can have serious consequences. Questions about freedom of speech have arisen among those who do not support the ban. If the government has the power to ban TikTok, could that lead to it abusing this power and ultimately infringing upon its citizens rights? Time will tell.
Besides the issue of national security, TikTok’s effect on society is also something that has to be weighed when thinking about the proposed ban. Millions of kids use TikTok and they spend multiple hours a day on the app. The mindless scrolling, abhorrent content, and the complete disconnect from reality that TikTok causes for its users will not be missed if the app gets banned. Everyone has seen someone out in public playing their phone at full volume while a TikTok is playing. With countless kids struggling with depression, anxiety, and self esteem issues, banning TikTok may be the solution to some of these problems.
Even if the national security threat TikTok poses were to be resolved there are still major implications to TikTok staying in the United States. As mentioned above, the plethora of mental health issues social media causes will stick around and continue to affect the generations of children to come in unfathomable ways. Attention spans have and will continue to shrink for children on the app. TikTok, like many other apps and games, is designed to be addictive, and its algorithms feed never-ending sludge to its users. The next time you open up social media and find yourself scrolling your time away, think about the “TikTok” of the clock and how the time could have been better spent.
Featured Image Courtesy of wallpapersden.com
The Saint 