April 24, 2024, Joe Biden signed the ban on TikTok in the United States that would completely remove TikTok from users’ phones unless TikTok’s parent company, Byte Dance, sold the app to a US company within a year. Byte Dance sued the US government claiming that the ban was a violation of the First Amendment that protects free speech and has refused to sell the app to a US owner up to this point. The app was shut down on January 19, 2025, and, within 12 hours, was accessible to users again. However, since the temporary shutdown, the app has been completely unavailable on the app store for American users as of Feb 4. There has not been a conclusion if Donald Trump will void the ban or if Tiktok will be completely shut down. Since the announcement of the eventual ban, the topic has been controversial and sparked many debates on the purpose of the ban and the possible outcomes of it. The app has been incredibly important and relevant to popular culture and it is very commonly used among teens. The students of SHS have their own, unique opinions on the legitimacy of the ban and its possible repercussions. 

When asked her view on TikTok’s potential ban, senior Kenadee Brewer said “Honestly I think it would help a lot of people” and that it would help with people’s time management abilities. This is a common sentiment surrounding social media in general and how it negatively affects our society, especially the youth. Brewer claims to use TikTok every day and says that she often finds herself getting bored and “immediately going to the app and scrolling mindlessly”. A large majority of teens are addicted and that was very when the internet was immediately flooded with people losing their minds over the ban. Though she does agree with the idea behind the ban she still believes that “there are other things that should be banned before a social media platform. The general opinion on the ban is that it doesn’t make sense to ban the app because there are much more immediate and pressing issues in the country that should take priority. When asked if she thinks the app will be fully banned Brewer said “No, I think if they banned it fully the government would have their priorities mixed up. 

The feeling that TikTok’s ban is not very important is shared between both those who use it every day and those who don’t use it at all. Sophomore Roman Presta says that if TikTok was banned “it wouldn’t hurt, but at the same time, I don’t think it would be too beneficial”. Presta gets “most of [his] news from TikTok or other social media” which has become very common among the youth. When asked if he agrees with the ban Presta said “I think it’s kind of silly, even from a non-TikTok user. I was never against it” and “I hate to use the word but I don’t think it’s very constitutional”. 

The ban also raises bigger questions about how much control the government should have over online platforms. For many, TikTok is not just a place to rot their mind away, it’s a place to promote a business and even make a livelihood. The reality is that if the app is fully banned then American creators who make money from the app will have to make a quick switch to another service or give up their career entirely. TikTok is regularly used by over half of all American adults. The removal of TikTok would realistically remove a massive chunk of what makes up the internet age and modern culture as we know it. TikTok is the origin of many online trends and memes so if it is banned (at least in the US), it could lead to a shift in the online norm. If TikTok is banned then a lot would change, even with the existence of alternative apps that could realistically replace it.

The initial reason behind TikTok’s ban stems from its massive popularity in America. The company is incredibly valuable and is likely the most influential and powerful social media platform today. Because of its incredible status, the US Government does not want it to be in the hands of an “adversary”, or China. The bill was passed unanimously through the Senate back in early 2024 which shows the government’s complete faith that this ban is right for America. Now it is a common misconception that ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company) is fully Chinese-owned, that is not true. China bought a board seat in the company back in 2021, which gives them a say over the company and its decisions, and there is some evidence that they have viewed user data but nothing is proven. It can be argued that this ban is a violation of our right to free speech. No matter what the reality is that TikTok is very unlikely to be sold because of its incredible algorithm that gives it its value and competitive advantage over other apps.

In short, TikTok remains off the app store and it’s not clear what the future of the app will hold. If TikTok is banned in the US it most likely will boost the popularity of other apps like Instagram and Snapchat. No matter how much bad TikTok has done to society or our youth it has had an undeniable amount of effect on America and the world as a whole.