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In this article, Fallon goes over the United States TikTok Ban.
tiktok ban:
tiktok ban:
is tiktok actually getting banned?
is tiktok actually getting banned?
By: Fallon Rosebraugh
By: Fallon Rosebraugh
TikTok is a heavily influential social media platform where users can create, share, and discover a variety of content. As this article is being written, the app might be banned in the United States on Jan. 19, 2025. In Apr. of 2024, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that required the owner of TikTok, Chinese internet company ByteDance, to sell the platform to a non-Chinese company. However, President-elect Donald Trump, whose term begins the day after the ban, could be on TikTok’s side.
One may ask: Why is TikTok facing a ban in the first place? The main reason why TikTok is facing a ban in the United States is due to the fact that its Chinese ownership could pose national security risks. Many American lawmakers worry that the app may allow the Chinese government to access the data of American users, or manipulate the platform's content to influence public opinion. While TikTok has denied these accusations, and has offered to be more transparent– United States officials still remain skeptical. According to The Hill, “The popular social media app’s fate now rests in the hands of the Supreme Court and the incoming Trump administration, which has offered tepid support at best for TikTok in the wake of the election.” During the campaign trail this year, Trump repeatedly signaled his support for the app and, according to The New York Times, a spokeswoman from his team claimed that “he will deliver” on a plan to rescue the app.
Photo by AP News
Photo by The New York Times
Assuming that TikTok does get banned, many are left wondering what that will look like. The New York Times states that “The law would penalize internet service providers and app store companies like Apple and Google for distributing or updating TikTok on app stores.” Essentially, TikTok would not be available for downloading in the United States. If the app is still on a user's device, they will still be able to access it after the ban– although they will not be able to update it. That being said, without having the ability to update the platform, it would degrade over time– slowly becoming unstable, until the app is just unusable.
All in all, if TikTok is banned, then people will inevitably move to other platforms. The public's reaction to the ban would likely cause issues, as well– as influencers and businesses that rely on TikTok would be heavily affected. Banning TikTok would have several negative consequences– as it would limit the freedom of expression and access to a platform where millions of users share content, connect, and build communities.
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