The fate of TikTok – the popular social media app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance – hangs on edge as the House of Representatives passed a bill in March that could lead to a nationwide ban of the app. The potential ban stems from concerns about the app’s Chinese ownership and that it could leak data of people in the U.S. who use TikTok to the Chinese government.
The potential ban of TikTok has ignited discussions among college students. Students at Parkland College have expressed various opinions about the potential ban, most of them being opposed to the ban.
Understanding of Security Concerns
Cassidy Peterson – a sophomore at Parkland – stated that she understands the concern of security. “I see the concern about China getting our data – I can see that being a big concern that people don’t want them to get our information, videos, etc,” she said. Katie Oehmke – a freshman at Parkland – agreed with this sentiment, adding to her concern about users’ personal information leaking from the app. According to a report by CrowdStrike, spiers in China have collected people’s IP addresses, which poses significant fears for American users. “I don’t want to give my address or phone number out unless it’s people I know,” Oehmke said.
There is Always a Risk to Using Apps
Some students voiced that many social media apps – not just TikTok – are collecting and selling their data. There is always a security risk when using these types of apps that are partnered with other apps. Raquel Butts – a freshman at Parkland – expressed concerns about the ripple effects that the ban might have on other social media sites since the U.S. has not proposed similar bans for other social media platforms that have shared user data with surveillance companies. “Who’s to say we can’t ban Instagram with the same reasoning as TikTok?” she said. “Is Zuckerberg keeping us any safer?” She also voiced that the concern over TikTok’s Chinese ownership might mirror historical xenophobic tendencies. “It seems like the only reason why the government is freaking out about TikTok is because the company that owns it is Chinese.”
Additionally, Bienueve Lugano – a sophomore – stated that she feels that the potential ban should not be a main concern right now and that the government should focus on addressing bigger issues that are a real threat to society – such as gun violence, poverty, and hunger. “Banning TikTok should be last on the list,” she said. “The government should spend their time fixing other problems in this country.”
How the Ban Might Affect TikTok Influencers and Content Creators
Students also voiced concerns about how the ban could negatively impact content creators who use TikTok. Oehmke – a content creator herself – uses the platform to raise awareness and understanding of the disabilities that she lives with. “A lot of people in this world don’t learn about disabilities – like tourettes, autism, epilepsy, or ADHD – they only seem to learn about it because of TikTok,” she said. TikTok has become a platform for dialogue and community and provides a unique space for marginalized voices.
Additionally, Peterson has concerns about how the ban could have a negative economic impact, as there are many content creators who gain a significant amount of income from TikTok. A ban could force them to pivot to other platforms and strategies. “With income and social media, if TikTok got banned, how would they make that money? Many of them choose to do TikTok instead of ‘traditional’ jobs,” she said. Pivoting to other apps, such as YouTube or Instagram, could also be difficult for content creators, as a lot of apps don’t grab attention as well as TikTok does. Likewise, a lot of people find TikTok convenient for making content because it allows you to create short videos and has a lot less censorship than other platforms.
TikTok is a Source of Entertainment
Aside from concerns about other social media apps and the economy, TikTok is also a form of entertainment and news outlet. From educational videos to dances and skits, the app provides a great source of joy and information. Peterson stated that while she doesn’t post, she uses the app daily and enjoys the entertainment. “For me personally, I would be like ‘oh man, that’s an app that I use a lot’. But then I could also see the other side – China getting our information, the data, everything else – that point of view,” she said. Oehmke also agreed, “For me, I just scroll because it’s fun.”
Students’ concerns about the potential ban of TikTok will likely continue to hang on edge for quite some time as American lawmakers continue to fight these challenges. Even if the bill eventually becomes law, the fight will likely not end there as the challenges continue.