January 19th could be a day of mourning for many. TikTok, arguably the most successful and influential social media app, sits in a fragile position. Although the threats of a ban have been futile in the past, this time TikTok has a serious chance of being shut down for American users. Here is a basic, simplified rundown of this whole situation:
Why Is TikTok Getting Banned?
TikTok is currently owned by Chinese company ByteDance which raises red flags for the U.S. government because they are concerned about the kind of data the Chinese government could be collecting on American users and how they could be manipulating the content seen. Many lawmakers and regulators believe that the Chinese government could be pushing misleading content toward the American public. Although ByteDance is not directly affiliated with the Chinese government, there are concerns over certain Chinese laws that allow their government to access data for intelligence-gathering purposes, meaning that they could potentially be collecting sensitive or personal information such as locations.
What Is This Ban?
Due to the concerns listed above, Congress decided to pass legislation that will essentially ban TikTok from being in app stores or being updated. This means that after January 19th the app is likely to remain on everyone’s phone however since it won’t be capable of updating TikTok will gradually become unusable – a slow death indeed.
Is There Any Hope?
There is hope for TikTok found in two places, though it is fickle. Number 1, someone else buys TikTok from the Chinese company ByteDance. Or, 2, soon to be inaugurated President Trump delivers on his promise to save the app. With just 7 days it does not seem likely that TikTok will be sold and the ban is set for the day before Trump’s inauguration meaning it will be in effect before he is officially president. It will also take an act of Congress to repeal the law so the decision is not truly up to him.
TikTok is the most impactful social media platform in and out of the U.S., with videos ranging from hilarious to sad to relatable to hilarious again. I’ve watched many people say the shutting down of TikTok is quite similar to the burning of the Library of Alexandria and I would have to agree. I know plenty of people would consider that insane but when you really dive into all that TikTok has to offer (recipes, workouts, news, opinions, stories, friendships, tutorials, advice, the list goes on) you realize just how much we have truly lost.
