As I’m sure everyone has heard by now, the United States House of Representatives recently passed a bill giving the owners of TikTok 180 days to sell the app, or it would be prohibited in the United States. This bill has caused an absolute uproar and upsetment on the app.
While I do think it’s a little off-putting that the government has the power to ban the app, silencing thousands of voices that do actually use it for the greater good, I am overall very happy about the ban.
In my opinion, TikTok is extremely damaging in so many ways. It’s harmful to young kids whose parents post them and reap the profits, who are in the public eye since birth with absolutely no choice in the matter. It’s harmful to toddlers and older children to grow up with the constant stimulation of a screen in their face, and the inappropriate things that can come up on their feed. Middle Schoolers need an awkward phase!!! It builds character. Modern social media, particularly TikTok, has eliminated the Middle School Awkward Phase.
It’s harmful to young adults and teens– both men and women constantly comparing themselves to others, wasting away for hours on the app instead of doing something meaningful, and always wasting money trying to keep up with the trends and latest popular products. I am guilty of these, hence why I am hoping the ban follows through.
This Bill being passed has made me realize how much of my time is consumed on TikTok, and how important it is to make sure this changes. I hope the ban follows through so that everyone gets off the app, and instead lives more in the moment and without the intense influence of others.