Controversy with Tik Tok

TikTok is a social media app where users create and share short videos, often with music, filters, and special effects. Launched in 2016 by ByteDance, it quickly gained global popularity, especially among younger audiences, due to its engaging content and powerful algorithm that tailors the feed to user preferences. TikTok’s features like viral challenges, music integration, and creative editing tools have made it a cultural phenomenon, driving its rapid growth and widespread influence.

With this growth, this has led to many discussions about the nature of Tik Tok. People have several concerns about TikTok, primarily focusing on privacy and security issues. Lawmakers and officials worry that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, could be compelled by the Chinese government to share user data, which they see as a potential national security threat. Additionally, some critics are concerned about TikTok’s highly engaging nature, which they believe can lead to excessive screen time and impact mental health, especially among younger users. There are also challenges with content moderation, as the platform sometimes struggles to manage inappropriate content and misinformation. The pressure to create popular content and the influence of viral trends can also affect users’ self-esteem and well-being. These many issues have prompted discussions about stricter regulations and, in some cases, potential bans on the app.

This idea of banning TikTok across the United States has been present for quite some time, but now this process has been expedited. Just recently, the US Senate and House of Representatives both passed a bill that would effectively ban Tik Tok in the United States, if ByteDance doesn’t sell its stake in the app within a year. This bill was then brought to President Biden, where he signed this into law.

With this passing of this law, there are many controversies on both sides. ByteDance claims that this law suppresses freedom of speech among the United States population, and is therefore unconstitutional. However, the United States continues to argue that it is a threat of national security. The final fate of TikTok is still unknown, and as more time passes, we will be able to see.