From Musical.ly to TikTok, through COVID and sickness, to smiles and laughter, TikTok has always been there to connect and entertain people. People of all ages spend hours scrolling the universal app; an app that many people rely on to cure their boredom.
2024 started with the debate over a recurring threat of a TikTok ban. Despite those threats, people never thought the ban would go into effect because, despite previous threats, they never happened.
“When I first found out about the ban I had no clue it was actually going to happen, and I just went on with my life,” Lucy Afsari (‘27) said.
2025 began with the actual ban of TikTok, and it had a significant impact on the digital world. The app, known for short videos and viral trends, has been a popular topic of discussion regarding data privacy and security.
“I have never paid too much attention to the data and security behind really any social media app. I just keep using the app like normal as if it doesn’t [affect] me,” Emma Murray (‘27) said.
(screenshot by Liv Petroenella)
This is a common viewpoint of many American social media users who don’t think about the consequences of sharing their private information and lives online.
Even though the ban only lasted 12 hours, it led to user outrage. Humans can be reliant on technology without even realizing it, and TikTok is a vice for many. Many people fill their free time with mindless scrolling, and clicking a button is so easy that people often don’t realize how often they do it.
“I think that social media plays a huge role in my life and takes up too much of my time, and without it, I would focus more on myself and school and other things that will benefit me,” Murray said.
The ban caused different people to look into other platforms, and others took the opportunity to disengage from their phones and start applying themselves to offline activities.
“I was personally very happy that TikTok was banned so that people would be real people and not just stuck on their phone,” Sky Florio (‘27) said.
Many users found the ban eye-opening. The need to reflect on our social media usage and its role in our lives is apparent. The intense reaction to the ban highlights that we have a deeper issue than the ban itself.
