If you ask Northport High School students what their favorite social media platforms are, there is a high chance that TikTok would be at the top of their lists. One of the most popular social media platforms used by both teens and adults alike is TikTok. Whether simply scrolling through the content the app has to offer or creating new videos, many people use the platform on a daily basis.
Not only is it popular in the United States, but also in other countries around the world. Although there is no doubting its popularity, there are many health and safety concerns about the app that are beginning to be addressed by both state and federal governments.
TikTok’s developer, ByteDance, launched the app in September of 2016. Although it had been around for a few years, the app did not experience a major influx of users until 2018. In fact, the total growth of users between 2018 and 2020 was 1157.76%. Between the years of 2018 and 2023, the app saw an even larger increase in users of 1239.39%.
The sheer percentage increase of users goes to show just how quickly the app became popular and even considered essential by many. The app has continued to grow in popularity and in October of 2023, the estimated number of global users under the age of 18 was 1.218 billion. In the US, there was an estimated number of 150 million active users in February of 2023 which had increased by about 50 million users since 2020. Considering that the US Census estimated the population of the United States to be about 335 million in July of 2023, a massive part of our population does use TikTok consistently.
Although there are many positives that can result from the sharing of ideas and information on social media platforms, there are also many negative effects that are beginning to be addressed. A big concern for lawmakers in the United States is the mental health effects that TikTok and other social media platforms can have on teens.
Psychologist Dr. Jean Twenge said that “TikTok’s algorithm in particular is ‘very sophisticated’ and ‘very sticky,’ which keeps teens engaged on the platform longer.” Once teens open up the app, they are more likely to be sucked in and scroll for longer than intended because of its addictive qualities. This worries experts because of the content that TikTok can display to users.
The content shown is often perfected and makes users feel like they are missing out on certain experiences or that what they are doing in their own lives is not enough. Many teens are guilty of trying to live vicariously through their screens for this reason. In fact, the average teen under the age of 18 spends about one hour and 47 minutes on TikTok per day.
Not only are experts worried about mental health concerns related to TikTok, but also about user data and privacy. The concerns began in 2020 during the Presidency of Donald Trump. There were accusations being made that the Chinese Government had access to American users’ data because the app is owned by a Chinese company. Although the company denied this many times, many people still do not believe that their information is safe.
Bytedance’s CEO put out a statement saying that “‘TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government’” and “‘Nor would TikTok honor such a request if one were ever made.’” Although this statement came directly from the CEO of TikTok himself, many people, including lawmakers, found themselves still not trusting the company.
So what are lawmakers planning to do about these mental health and privacy issue concerns? Many have decided that the best way to eliminate these problems is to eliminate the app itself. To start, in November of 2023, TikTok was banned on federal government issued devices. This means that any device owned by the federal government could no longer have TikTok installed on it in an attempt to protect sensitive data from the Chinese Government.
Other actions have been taken as well, such as in May of 2023 in Montana when Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill that would allow for the banning of TikTok in the state. Although the bill was signed, it was shut down by a Federal judge as a violation of the First Amendment. Many members of Congress have also expressed that they are in favor of banning the app in the US and in January agreed to consider a bill that would allow the President to ban TikTok. The Biden Administration has also been involved in this issue and has decided that it wants the Chinese ownership of the app to be sold to prevent any more problems.
TikTok is known around the world to be one of the most popular social media platforms. Many users enjoy creating and sharing content with others or just simply scrolling through what it has to offer. Although it is inherently popular, it does come with some problems and risks. Between the accusations of user data privacy, excessive screen time, and mental health concerns, the app certainly has attracted negative attention. So the next time you find yourself scrolling on the app, make sure to think twice about how it could be affecting you, both your personal data and mental health.
