With the impending TikTok ban set to occur on January 19, The Blue & Gold decided to dive deeper into the subject and give students an understanding of the effects this ban will have on US citizens and Carmel Christian students.
Why Ban TikTok?
The Supreme Court decided to ban TikTok on January 19 if TikTok’s Chinese owner, Bytedance, does not sell the app.
TikTok’s 170 million users are questioning why this ban is necessary, so the US government shares its very strong opinions. The government stated that this app is a way for the Chinese government to access data on American citizens and therefore use that data against America. Lawmakers say that on January 19, TikTok will not just vanish from users’ phones, but it will be unavailable to download in the app store. The ban will, however, prevent American users from updating the app to fix any issues or bugs. Over time, the inability to update TikTok will make the app incapable of functioning.
America’s Response
Americans have responded to this TikTok ban positively and negatively. Most opinions are from current users or creators who are unhappy with this outcome. Casual, everyday people who use TikTok for entertainment are upset because they view this app as a way to express themselves and relate to other people all around the world. Content creators and influencers are incredibly upset because TikTok has been their primary way to make money; without the app, they will significantly lose popularity and income even if there is a replacement app.
Carmel Christian Students’ Response
After polling over thirty-five Carmel Christian high schoolers how they feel about this ban, their opinions are very mixed. Most students believe that TikTok being banned is beneficial for not only Americans’ safety but also because
most teenagers are addicted to this app. One student states, “TikTok is a very addicting app, and many spend hours on this app. I feel like it will free up time for many people when TikTok is banned.” Though not many students actively create content on the app, many find the “reposting” the most beneficial aspect of the platform. Reposts offer students an outlet for their interests and personalities. Whether they are reposting sports compilations, movie edits, psychological ramblings, outfit trends, recipes and more, the repost section of Tiktok is a deep dive into an individual’s interest. Although most CCS high schoolers believe this ban is beneficial, there are a few who are dreading January 19. Matthew Abbott is very upset about this ban, specifically because of the loss of TikTok Shop. He explains that “TikTok shop has everything. It’s so cheap, and I buy so much stuff on it. I’m so mad it’s getting banned.” The mixed emotions throughout the student body are clear.
Looking Ahead
With all of this in mind, TikTok users are attempting to relocate to a new app. There are popular apps that many Americans already use, such as Instagram or YouTube, that have TikTok-like features. Most CCS students believe that Instagram Reels will be a replacement for TikTok, even though it doesn’t have popular features that TikTok offers.
Makenly Batchelor states, “I can look up and repost videos on TikTok but not on Instagram Reels.” Although Reels seems like the best option for the future, Americans across the country are afraid that because Reels is mainly reposted TikToks, once it is banned, Reels will have no content to post. Some TikTok users plan to relocate to the Chinese-owned app, RedNote. This app, however, poses the same safety risks as TikTok. Knowing this, Americans have downloaded RedNote and made it #1 on the App Store in hopes that it will send a message about the banning of TikTok.
Why this matters
TikTok is one of the most popular apps in the world, especially in America and among the younger generations. A recent poll states that “Gen-Z represents 49.2% of total TikTok users in the US.” Generation Z is made up of people born after 1996, which makes up a large amount of high school students. Americans have been forced to evaluate laws and regulations that the government is implementing. Some people believe that banning TikTok is an infringement of Americans’ freedom of speech, but others believe that it is necessary for our safety. By understanding the facts, people can come to their own educated conclusions.
