The banning of TikTok has been a recurring topic of debate over the last four years. The controversy began when the Trump administration made an initial push to ban the app in 2020 due to security concerns. The Supreme Court made a ruling to shut down the app on Jan. 19 due to claims that it posed a threat to security. The Trump administration has since opened access to TikTok backup, but the question of whether access to the app will continue for the long term is still unsure.
Consequently, the ban on TikTok has received backlash from all corners of the internet. A long-term ban would censor the American people and affect small businesses and creators whose primary income is social media.
“[There are] economic concerns that might arise from the ban,” AP Government teacher Alexander Edwards said. “I know a lot of people make the argument that small businesses use TikTok to benefit themselves and to make a living.”
People can acquire money sponsorships from companies in exchange for advertising a service or product. Sophomore Ava Haynes, who runs the account “Avajhayness,” with more than 26,000 followers, has made such sponsored posts.
“Most of my things are [of] brands and their different products mainly focused on beauty, clothes — and [for] some of them I do apps.” Haynes said, ”However, most videos I get a pay rate of like $250.”
In addition, since millions of young Americans use TikTok in their everyday life as a form of communication, entertainment, and news, the absence of TikTok could create a sense of disconnection.
“I feel like Tiktok is a very influential app where it just, sets a lot of trends and a lot of like memes,” Sophomore Sadie Peters said. “It’s guess that kind of like, not built our generation, but like helped us connect… I feel like [it’s], kind of disconnect us a little bit.”
In response to the United States government’s announcement of a TikTok ban, thousands of users flocked to the Chinese social media app Rednote, which quickly became the most popular app on the Apple App Store.
“I think it’s really funny because it is the actual Chinese app,” Peters said. “And it’s not like [how] TikTok is… a Singaporean app. [Switching to Rednote is] a little protest that people are doing.”
