TikTok has officially been banned in the United States following countries like India, Iran, and Afghanistan. H. R. 7521 – Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act was introduced by Republican Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin’s 8th District.
TikTok is operated in the United States with its headquarters in Los Angeles, California. However, it is owned by the Chinese internet technology company, ByteDance. Due to this fact, Lawmakers called TikTok CEO, Shou Zi Chew, before congress for a hearing that lasted nearly five hours. Chew maintained that he had no relation to the communist government in China, and neither did TikTok.
AP U.S. Government teacher Amanda Peters explains that national security was at the forefront for lawmakers making the decision.
“The idea of banning TikTok came up because some people in the government are worried about national security and privacy,” Peters said. “Since TikTok is owned by a Chinese company, there’s concern that user data could end up in the hands of the Chinese government.”
The bill has officially passed in the House, and TikTok will effectively be banned Sunday Jan. 19. For senior Avishi Singh, the news was devastating but it didn’t come as a shock.
“It’s just like it’s my source of joy,” Singh said. “I’ve had TikTok since 2017 since it was Musical.ly. The prospect of the ban has been there for, like years, but since it’s gotten, you know, realer and confirmed recently. I’ve been pretty distraught. I’ve been trying to scroll as much as I can fit in as much as I can before after the app can be taken off my phone.”
Like Singh mentioned, the prospect of the TikTok ban has been around for years, and the process of banning an app has to go through many hurdles.
“Banning an app isn’t something the government can just decide to do overnight,” Peters said. “It usually starts with investigations by agencies like the Department of Commerce or the Federal Trade Commission to look into any security or legal risks. If the company fights back in court, it could delay or even stop the process. It’s a lot more complicated than just hitting a “ban” button.”
There is also a worry regarding the economic implications of banning the app, with claims that TikTok has contributed around $24.2 billion to the U.S. GDP in 2024, and drove $14.7 billion in small business owners’ revenue.
“It provides people with a source of income, you’re able to monetize your posts and TikTok has a pretty unique algorithm in that you don’t necessarily have to have much of a following to get a lot of engagement,” AP Macroeconomics teacher Micheal Kouznetsov said. “I can say from experience that there is a local hotpot restaurant that I found out about through TikTok. I went there, it was lovely, and I wouldn’t have had that experience to enjoy this nice local restaurant if I hadn’t found out about it through TikTok.”
The news of the ban came with a great deal of public backlash, specifically with the younger generations who have started communities online.
“I like how just a lot of I get to know about pop culture a lot from it,” Singh said. “I’m a big Taylor Swift fan and that’s where I’ve met I’ve met people on there, and I really enjoy the community on there.”
With the ban, students and younger people like Singh, are questions whether the government is working in their best interests.
“Like I think they don’t they don’t care about my wellbeing,” Singh said.
Peters concedes that public opinion matters, but it isn’t the only decision that goes into proposing a law like this.
“Yes, public opinion does matter, but it’s NOT the only thing the government considers,” Peters said. “When officials are making decisions, especially about security, they have to weigh what the public wants against what they believe is in the country’s best interest.”
However, Peters believes this can be a learning opportunity for students, and set a precedent for future social media companies.
“If younger people feel strongly about this, they need to make sure their voices are heard – by voting, contacting their representatives, and staying involved in the political process,” Peters said. “This is a great example of how representative democracy works. If people feel the government isn’t acting in their best interest, that’s a sign they need to step up. The TikTok ban, could set a standard for how the U.S. handles other foreign companies, especially those tied to governments we’re not on great terms with. It might mean stricter rules or even bans for apps and businesses that are seen as security risks.”
