Since 2019, the world has been taken over by one of the most popular apps, TikTok. Not a day goes by that one doesn’t hear about this app, especially in the last few month. Its users were alarmed when news came that it was being banned. Notifications were on the home screen of the app when opened, and numerous court videos were published. However, that is not the full story, and people are jumping to conclusions.
Almost every year, there’s a TikTok ban scare. In 2020, the app was almost taken away due to the national security concerns that President Trump was receiving. In 2023, Montana was the first U.S. state to sign legislation banning the app. However, in the end, a federal judge decided to block the movement. Numerous other times, users have been scared of the app going away for good, though it seems to never happen. Leading up to the court hearing, it seemed that TikTok was in the clear from possible removal in the U.S., but on March 13, 2024, the House decided that in the next six months, TikTok would have to be sold, or a company called ByteDance would lose access to app stores and web-hosting services in the U.S. ByteDance is a technology company that operates a variety of different content platforms like TikTok and others. So, not only would this vote ban TikTok, but it would also ban other platforms aligned with ByteDance.
The final vote on HR 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Application Act, was officially passed, which would lead to a TikTok ban. The House vote was 352 for and 62 against. This was an overwhelmingly large difference, which means it absolutely would pass. The next steps would be for Biden to sign the bill, then to get it passed in the Senate. On April 24, Biden did sign, and on April 23, the Senate passed it, so the next steps are up in the air.
Over the last couple of years, many people have gained fame on this platform, and it has become their job. Influencers make money on TikTok by making videos regularly and communicating with brands to work with them. So, where would this ban leave these influencers who have made this app their whole life? It would be quite difficult for these people to come back from this. Some of these influencers, depending on how much fame they’ve gained, make thousands of dollars weekly and more. From simple videos about daily makeup or skincare routines to getting ready in front of a phone camera, it brings so much wealth. So, without the app that gets them their salary, what will happen to them? It’s not only the people who make a living on TikTok, but also the people who spend hours every day scrolling through hundreds of thousands of videos for entertainment. Many comments and videos are being posted about how upset people are about the possible ban, and they are trying to do anything they can to get it to stay, but that’s not in their control, and someday the app might be gone.
TikTok is truly everywhere, and sooner than later, it could be nowhere. Almost everyone sees a video from the platform, whether they open TikTok themself, or see a viral video on another social media network. The world will be much different whenever TikTok is finally gone, though I am guilty of spending hours scrolling through videos, so in a way, maybe it will be for the best.
