TikTok is a social media app based in China that has advanced the world’s technology. It is an innovative content platform that features a wide variety of entertainment videos.
In 2012, Zhang Yiming founded TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, which he modeled around his observations of a social shift that favored short and engaging videos specifically directed at younger audiences. Though the name initially was Douyin, it was rebranded as TikTok after its launch in 2016, according to History Cooperative.
“I know many people are sad that TikTok is being banned,” sophomore Bibiana Renazco-Magelssen said. “Some people have even told me that they view the banning of TikTok as a loss to our generation.”
In Jan. of 2024, the U.S. Congress declared its intent to shut down TikTok. Congress stated that their justification for the decision stems from the fear that China is pressuring the platform to spread misinformation and purposefully influence American Citizens and that the app is stealing and storing users’ information through the algorithm used to curate the for you page. In response to the ban, petitioners supporting TikTok highlighted how it is unconstitutional, for it contends with the First Amendment’s right to free speech, according to the Supreme Court of the United States.
“I know that a large argument from my classmates is that they have so many memories on TikTok,” freshman Alexa Ibershof said. “Many of them were saying how they grew up with it and that it is also a great way to learn new songs.”
As the court case drags on, public support for the ban slowly dwindles. A survey shows that although the percentage of American adults in support of the ban in Mar. of 2023 started at 50%, the number has slowly decreased, and as of Aug. 2024, it stood at 32%. The survey also revealed a new shift, with the majority of Americans now unsure of whether they want the ban, according to the Pew Research Center.
“I understand that TikTok steals our information, but I also know that other apps do the same thing,” sophomore Isabel Lucas said. “Instead of focusing on banning TikTok, I believe the government should prioritize and work on more important things.”
Jan. 19 is the deadline for the act signed by President Biden in Apr. of 2024. The “Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” mandates that ByteDance signs TikTok off to American leadership, or the app is banned in America. However, when asked if TikTok will end with the ban on Jan. 19, Solicitor General Elizabeth Barchas Prelogar commented that regardless of the outcome on Jan. 19, nothing will be permanent, according to the Supreme Court of the United States.
“I have heard of a lot of controversy on this topic before because people always say that TikTok will get banned, but then on the day that it is going to happen, nothing happens,” Renazco-Magelssen said. “Because of prior false alerts, I think this might end with no changes.”
