Is Tik Tok Getting Banned?

Due to growing escalations between China and the United States, Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, attended multiple hearings on Capital Hill, where he was questioned about security concerns of the social media app on March 23rd. 

The hearings on March 23rd lasted about five hours, and in those hearings, Chew was asked about TikTok’s relationship with their owner, Bytedance, the handling of US user data, and the risk the app poses for teens and children’s mental health. The lawmakers believed that Chew was unable to give satisfying answers to most of the questions thrown at him. According to the New York Times, the Biden Administration wants the app to be sold to an American company or face a ban. Despite this, China says that it will oppose the app being sold to an American company.

Some students at Central High School have heard about the possible ban on TikTok. Sophomore Rylee Hutjens says she uses TikTok every day whenever she has any free time. When asked about her thoughts on the hearing she said, “I think it makes our lawmakers look stupid.” She thinks that the constant interrupting of Chew is what caused the lawmakers to look “childish”. 

Senior Laynie Ritchie also uses TikTok every day. When asked if she thinks TikTok will end up getting banned in the end Ritchie said “I don’t think TikTok will get banned. The government has said they are going to ban it before and they never did.”  

Sophomore at Centennial High School Morgan Grimsey also uses TikTok every day.  She was asked how a TikTok ban would affect her everyday life and to that Grimsey, said “I would be on my phone less and be more out of the loop on what’s going on.” 

If the US were to ban TikTok, they would not be the first to ban the app. India did so in 2020 due to security concerns for their users. The US has also already banned TikTok on all government devices and banned it in the military since 2020. 

The TikTok company has called the bans “political theatre” and they have criticized lawmakers saying they are attempting to censor Americans according to the New York Times. 

Over 150 million Americans use TikTok. Despite this, soon the 150 million Americans on the app may be unable to access it. There is no doubt that it has had great effects on pop culture and has changed the way people consume videos and information forever.