The United States Congress banned the praised and popular TikTok app nationwide on Jan. 18 at 10:30 p.m. TikTok was removed from both the Apple app store and Google play store, and remains unavailable to download. The app was restored less than 24 hours after then presidential elect Donald Trump issued an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban for 75 days. 

The TikTok ban bill, otherwise known as the “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,”  was first proposed on March 5 by Rep. Mike Gallagher and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi as a way to regulate the potential threat the Chinese government posed on the United States through the app. Lawmakers worry the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is manipulating content and gaining access to sensitive data that could threaten American democracy. 

However, for sophomore Emily Wang, the TikTok ban seemed to be a symptom of the collapse of American democracy, as the ban jeopardizes the right to free speech.

“I personally thought that it would never actually get passed because it was too extreme, I didn’t think that the government would actually go through with it,” Wang said. “It violates democratic values because I feel like the U.S. government is trading in its actual care for democracy and free speech so that they can further this political agenda where they have to keep competition in the U.S. without dealing with major competition outside of it. And I think that they used fears that TikTok is very pro-China, very anti-America, and they kind of used that to further this political agenda.” 

Wang is one in many teenagers who feel similarly. As stated by Pew Research Center, only 18% of teenagers were in support of the government banning TikTok, compared to about 38% of adults. This is possibly due to the frequency of viewership, with over half of U.S. teens saying they watch TikTok daily, compared to only a fourth of U.S. adults. However, according to sophomore Harshita Vallepalli, there are other possible explanations. 

“Younger people generally support less government regulation of online platforms, prioritizing freedom and privacy, while older generations often favor more regulation, focusing on security and protecting national interests,” Vallepalli said. “The ban could limit younger generations’ ability to use TikTok for activism, news and self-expression, pushing them to find alternative platforms. It may also discourage creative ways to engage with social issues and share personal stories.” 

On the contrary, Kate Masterson, the Assistant Director of Digital Security & Privacy for Carmel Clay Schools said the TikTok ban could potentially be something enforced to improve safety for children. While she said she didn’t think banning TikTok would solve any deep-rooted issues with social media use for our culture, Masterson reiterated that there were real consequences for what happens online, and a part of her job among others in the United States was to make sure students and young people were prepared to navigate the digital world. 

“There is a tension between allowing people to make a choice for themselves, even if that choice is harmful and a government is deciding to regulate that choice to protect people,” Masterson said. “We see this happening in many places—it’s the law to wear a seatbelt while driving, alcohol only being legally allowed to be sold to people over 21 and so many more situations. So I’m not sure that a TikTok ban would be a violation of democratic rights, but perhaps a needed intervention to protect people. Where I’m less certain is if TikTok specifically is the danger. I would much rather see larger conversations about social media use by children and how tech companies can do a better job of making their products safer by default.” 

Nonetheless, Wang said intervention of this extreme could be used to meddle with politics and serve as propaganda for Donald Trump, who was credited for temporarily returning the app. 

“I don’t think (the claims about CCP intervention) are very legitimate. I think it is just government overreach, because the government wants to keep data and competition among social media sites,” Wang said. “The U.S. government has reason to want to keep all of that money and everything inside of the U.S., especially because you see Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg and all these Republican people getting very close to the government. So I feel like they had some influence of not wanting TikTok as competition. Personally, I think it breaks down a lot of the legitimacy the government has because a majority of people don’t want to see TikTok banned for the reasons that the U.S. government wants it to be banned.”

“Banning TikTok is government overreach because it blocks a popular platform without clear proof of a real security threat, limiting people’s freedom to share and create online. It could lead to more government regulation on online apps restricting free speech, and increasing tech-based geopolitical divisions,” Vallepalli said. “While some regulation is needed for security and privacy, too much control can restrict open communication and personal freedoms. International relations are a key factor since TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, which heightens tensions between the U.S. and China. It appears that national interests are taking precedence over citizens’ rights to free expression, with an emphasis on security concerns rather than safeguarding free speech.”

With respect to many arguments claiming the TikTok ban was purely politically motivated, some believe that it might have benefits to teenage mental health. A common belief holds that social media can glamorize self harm and misinformation, promoting “doomscrolling.” The removal of this app could potentially lessen the extent to which teens are exposed to social media. 

“My two main concerns when it comes to social media in general are data privacy and mental health,” Masterson said. “The mental health aspects of social media use are going to vary depending on who is using the service. We know that these platforms are designed to tap into human brain chemistry to keep users’ attention. Some people may be able to use social media without many detrimental mental health consequences. For others, it may be a real struggle. A challenge with social media and young people is that full brain development isn’t complete until about age 25, so we don’t really know the long-term effects yet. Social media is an integral part of how students stay connected and communicate. There isn’t a huge body of research available, but the research that does exist indicates that there may be benefits to social media use. But with those benefits, there are also significant risks. Social media isn’t going away, so I think it’s important to have conversations about how we can use it well and with the least harm to individuals and society at large.”