As TikTok has grown in the U.S., it has had an undeniable impact on students in high school. TikTok acts as a creative outlet for students to share and communicate with a variety of different people. Now that TikTok is announced to be banned from the U.S. on Jan.19, many students who rely heavily on this app on a daily basis will feel greatly affected by this change.
The U.S. desires to ban TikTok as it is claimed to pose a threat to the national security of Ameircans, since it is a foreign established application. Despite TikTok having 170 million users from the United States, the app is said to shut down soon.
Leah Gonzales (11) says, “I understand that the government wants to shut down the app because of China, but their plan is dumb, and it should be our own choice whether we want to give China our data.”
Removing TikTok may be beneficial for individuals who are reliant on it. TikTok is an easily accessible and addictive source of entertainment that distracts students from focusing on school work. Even throughout the school day, some students struggle to pay attention in class and would rather mindlessly scroll through their “for you page.”
Forcibly removing TikTok for users that use it daily may increase their overall productivity. Additionally, it gives students time to focus on their hobbies or do more physical activities that are healthier than scrolling.
While TikTok has become widely used, some students feel indifferent to this change.
Zoe Vovan (11) shares, “I don’t really care about the whole TikTok ban. I think me and all of my friends are all capable of living without it, and it isn’t that big of a deal to us overall.”
Not only does TikTok pose as a distraction, but it can act as a way to hurt other students or any individual. Cyberbullying has become a very common practice on social media in today’s generation as many people do not have to face consequences for their actions. TikTok has promoted these hurtful behaviors by sharing content without one’s consent or through degrading comments.
Although TikTok acts as a distraction, it is also a form of self-expression. Users on TikTok come from various backgrounds, roots and identities. Because of this, people can easily find others to relate to or share their common interests which helps one feel a part of a community.
TikTok has also been able to help students significantly because of the wide range of educational information provided by teachers, scholars or other students. Information and tips over topics such as AP exams or the SAT have been widely shared across the platform and offered to students dedicated to their studies.
If TikTok is banned, students can still seek educational support by their school if they offer tutoring or other apps such as Youtube. Also, finding people who share common interests can be found by joining clubs or sports teams inside or outside of school.
