A great fear for all content creators, as well as technology-oriented teenagers around the country, has surfaced once again and is being dealt with by the government. On Mar. 13, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill to force TikTok to cut the cord with its parent company, ByteDance, or implement a nationwide ban for this immensely popular social media site.
The primary concern is the matter of how the app has access to a plethora of its users’ personal information, including but not limited to birthdays, locations and contacts. However, unlike other threats to ban the app that have occurred in previous years that garnered similar reactions from the public, the House passing this bill could lead to more steps that could make the TikTok ban significantly more likely. The bill gives ByteDance six months to sell the app so it’s no longer under the control of a “foreign adversary”.
TikTok losing its position at the peak of internet prominence would mean many content creators would suffer the loss of not being able to promote their work, interact with other creators and most of all, no longer be able to serve as a relatable safe haven for adolescents online. Many people, teenagers especially, have grown accustomed to having Tiktok in their lives. Opening the app provides free dopamine for people all over the internet.
Despite all the turmoil, there are valid concerns to be raised about the safety of the app. Is a fun app really worth risking people’s security? China gathering sensitive data about American users is likely the motivating worry behind the proposal of the bill. When made aware of this, more and more people are becoming convinced many people that the insanely popular app deserves to be left in the dust.
Whatever happens with this bill, it signifies the first time a branch of Congress voted for an all-out ban on a widely used social media platform. Many citizens are advocating to keep TikTok, as repealing it may limit self-expression for many. The question circulating in people’s minds is, is this just another empty threat, or is it the end of an era for millions of American citizens? It could now be time to witness the slow, gradual death of TikTok.
