A notification appears, upon clicking on the notification it leads to the app TikTok to where watching a short video turns into 3 hours of scrolling. Will this soon come to an end? TikTok has become the most popular app used worldwide since the year 2022. Will this change due to the speculation of TikTok being banned in the US? Rumors of this ban have spiked many questions from the public. Are the rumors of this ban true? What app will replace TikTok, and will it have the same effect TikTok has had on the media?
What is TikTok, and what is its history?
TikTok is a social media app that originally started in September 2016 and originated in China by a company known as ByteDance. Replacing the app Musically in September 2018. Due to the COVID-19 virus, TikTok skyrocketed, attracting millions of new users to the app. After this, many trends came to be, such as a new style of dances, crafting, and even new styles/aesthetics were all introduced during this time. TikTok helped and continues to help people have a way to express themselves and help users feel as though they have a sense of community during a time of isolation. The app was also a place for users to share political views and get news about the nation. Up to 45 percent of the users on TikTok say they have seen political content on the app, (Pew Research Center).
How would the ban affect the media?
TikTok being gone could affect the nation tremendously due to the fact that it is the number one app. TikTok has attracted over 1.04 billion users worldwide, so the ban would spike major controversy nationwide. According to 10th grader Makenna Martin, “I feel like my rights are being taken away because I feel like it’s kind of my freedom to have the app.” The loss of this app will affect its users by feeling like they have lost a sense of community and feeling of connection they had with millions of people around the globe. Martin also expresses the impact TikTok has on her by saying, “Yes, I definitely do. I get ideas of what to wear, how to do my makeup, how to do my hair, and I also get to interact with all my friends on the app.” The ban can also affect businesses and creators who primarily make their profit off of the app. Programs Such as the TikTok Creator Fund, which allows content creators to make money due to their engagement or views on their content. Businesses can also sell products on the app because of the shopping feature on TikTok called “TikTok Shop”. The loss of this will cause these creators and brands to lose a lot of revenue they bring in from TikTok and overall affect its user’s ability to feel a connection with the world.
What was the outcome of the day the ban was passed?
The date of the ban was set to January 19, 2025. The build-up/anticipation of the date awaited to come spiked worry and its users to cling to hope. The day finally came, and at 12:00 am ET a notification appeared on user’s screen when trying to enter the app. The notification stated that TikTok would be ban till further notice and President Trump signed an executive order to postpone the ban. The news was devastating to the media but also caused a mix of reactions from its past users. Such as many people deliberated on how much of an impact the app made and what it would be like without it. Others made jokes about another selected app that could be a good alternative. The app is known as “Red Note” a Chinese platform ranging about 700,000 users and has a similar feel to TikTok. Around noon Eastern Standard Time on January 20, 2025, Tik Tok’s services began to be restored due to President Donald Trump’s announcement to sign an executive order to delay the ban of the app TikTok, speculated to last 270 days This resulted in its users to return to the site and express their feelings and opinions on how they were affected by the ban that took place. Ultimately, this has already affected the US on its own, will this continue to be an ongoing issue.
