Informative Article
We've all definitely heard of the President’s executive order to ban TikTok at this point. But there is a trilemma to this controversial act. Read to find out more.
by Vivega Saravana Prabhu
On Friday, August 31, President Trump announced that he will be banning TikTok in the US. This news evoked mixed reactions around the country, keeping U.S. residents on their toes all week. Content creators started to say their final goodbyes to their followers and began to transfer to other social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. TikTok has been the gateway for many to entertain and occupy themselves during these hard times. Many users have garnered millions of followers and made their careers out of this app.
So here is where the trilemma is presented: What is the fate of TikTok? Should the current administration successfully ban the app? Should TikTok users be able to keep the app for their sanity, income, and freedom of choice? Or is there a neutral perspective, a way to satisfy both sides?
Pro TikTok ban:
Some people approve of this app’s ban in the US, saying it’s addicting, wasting time, and overall annoying.
Here you can see some twitter posts and comments from individuals expressing their support in the ban:
Furthermore, according to the Trump administration, the app may be a security violation. Owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company, the administration is concerned about the possibility that American users’ personal data will be stolen. In an article by FOX News, Republican senators Chuck Schumer and Tom Cotton were quoted writing, “With over 110 million downloads in the U.S. alone, TikTok is a potential counterintelligence threat we cannot ignore”. Additionally, as reported by CNN, on August 6th President Trump “issued executive orders that would ban the social media app TikTok and WeChat from operating in the US in 45 days if they are not sold by their Chinese-owned parent companies.”
If TikTok poses as a national security concern, it is reasonable to have it banned.
Anti-TikTok ban:
On the other hand, many argue that it is unfair to take away such a popular app, based on an unproven claim (Tiktok being a possible security breach has not yet been confirmed). Additionally, multiple people have pointed out how President Trump's actions could be an invasion of their human rights. TikTok is a platform where people voice their opinions, and the President’s banning of the app is a violation of their First Amendment (the freedom of speech).
Furthermore, a lot of major TikTok creators are making a living off creating videos on the app, and multiple small businesses have also been able to grow:
(Tiktok showing small business packing)
Many artists, singers, dancers, comedians, and actors have been able to show off their passion, and motivate and influence their followers. Tiktok has also become a platform where individuals can voice their opinions, ask questions, and communicate with others. Moreover, many distinguished professionals are also able to provide free advice and informative answers to help users.
With the ban of TikTok, several people are going to have to find another way to receive an income and handle a decrease in publicity and sales.
Many people are voicing their disapproval and are feeling dejected by this announcement, which can be seen in these comments on Twitter and videos on TikTok as well:
TikTok has great potential and is helpful in a lot of ways, so it is unnecessary to ban such an app under the basis of something that hasn’t even been proven yet.
Neutral Stance:
Luckily, there is already a possible solution to this issue, which is already in discussion. If an American-owned company were to buy TikTok, then the uncertainty about the nation’s security will decrease and the app most likely wouldn’t get banned. It will be a win-win situation to TikTok users in America and the American government. Companies such as Microsoft and Apple have shown interest in buying the app from ByteDance.
Yet, there is still a problem.
It is unfair that America is pressuring a foreign company to sell their product, just for their own spontaneous concerns.
What do you think the future of TikTok in the US should be?
Did you know there was another tik tok trend with the song “I’m mad at DISNEY, disney they tricked me, tricked me, they had me wishing on a shooting star...”? Did you know another social media platform launched something similar to tik tok?