Was the TikTok ban an infringement on our basic constitutional freedoms or a necessary action to ensure the safety of American citizens? On April 14, 2024, former President Joe Biden signed a bill that stated if TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, did not sell this app to a U.S.-based corporation within 9 months, it would be banned all across the United States. The ban, which lasted less than 24 hours, has sparked debate on the ethics and constitutionality of government input in citizen’s lives.
The ban had been an ongoing discussion within the U.S. government for a while, yet most users were surprised when the bill was passed. As a result, on January 18 at 10:30 pm, one and a half hours earlier than expected, TikTok was banned across the country, leaving users with a short message reading “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”
The U.S. government argued that the Chinese government could use TikTok to spy on Americans and steal data. What data exactly? Well, this could include sensitive information such as addresses, phone numbers, or emails. However, most people I talked with were not especially concerned about China stealing their data. One Clinton sophomore I interviewed told me she hadn’t viewed any “propaganda like some have suggested,” which was a recurring argument made by the defendant.
For many Americans, especially the younger generations, TikTok is an app that can be used to express themselves in various ways such as through subtle acts like sharing their music taste with others. Many users also admire how communities have been formed on TikTok for so many people, with diverse interests or hobbies. The platform is also a space to share funny videos with friends, maybe get a new movie recommendation, or just find people you relate to, which has led many Ameicans to feel upset over the ban.
Additionally, many users felt like this ban went against their freedom of speech, one Clinton sophomore I interviewed told me she felt as if she was “no longer entitled to the freedoms of being an American citizen”.
Yet, for the defendant of this TikTok-ban case, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, a TikTok ban is the only effective way to uphold a safe America where people’s privacy is respected. To him and the majority of the U.S. government, TikTok is a platform that they perceive as posing a threat to the safety of Americans. It had been under constant scrutiny by the U.S. government for years. In 2019, the social media platform was found guilty of violating U.S. child privacy laws and paid $5.7 million in fines. So for many government officials, banning TikTok was a decision that had been slowly in the works.
In a surprising turn of events, less than 24 hours after the ban began, TikTok was “saved” by now President Trump, and the 170 million American users felt relieved and thankful.
As I logged back into TikTok on January 19, it read “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!”. This made many users feel like the ban-lift was truly just a publicity stunt and a power move. For many younger people who use TikTok daily, getting it taken away felt like a violation of their natural rights, so having someone reinstate it felt as if they were reinstating justice.
But I urge readers, don’t base your political stance solely on this one occurrence. This decision directly impacted youth the most, which tends to lean more left-wing, and the U.S. government knows this. They know how to make you feel seen and heard, Congress can make choices that impact your own life. But what is important is staying aware of these strategies and understanding exactly who you vote for.