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The document discusses the debate around banning TikTok in the US. It notes that TikTok has over 1.8 billion monthly active users globally and has a strong hold on youth screen time. While lawmakers are concerned about data privacy and the app's addictive algorithms, banning it is not the solution. Some Democrats argue it is important for officials to engage with Americans on platforms like TikTok. The document concludes that more should be done to educate people about social media risks, but that banning apps infringes on freedoms.

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Jordan Samuelson
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81 views3 pages

Untitled

The document discusses the debate around banning TikTok in the US. It notes that TikTok has over 1.8 billion monthly active users globally and has a strong hold on youth screen time. While lawmakers are concerned about data privacy and the app's addictive algorithms, banning it is not the solution. Some Democrats argue it is important for officials to engage with Americans on platforms like TikTok. The document concludes that more should be done to educate people about social media risks, but that banning apps infringes on freedoms.

Uploaded by

Jordan Samuelson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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U.S.

ban on TikTok

I don’t believe that 20+ years ago anyone could’ve seen how far social media would’ve

gone. In this day and age social media has completely shifted to way we use our phones. The

vast majority of people who have a smartphone have at least one social media app they scroll

mindlessly through daily. Since its inception, TikTok was a hit, as of today per the Omnicore

Agency TikTok has “1.8 billion monthly active users”. I’m not sure most understand how mind

boggling that is; almost ¼ of the world population is active on this platform monthly. TikTok has

made average people millions of dollars and definitely has a strong hold on our youth and young

adults screen time.

Because of the amount that people use the app I think it’s fair that it piqued the interest of

both the state and federal government agencies. Due to this, lawmakers should definitely be

concerned with social media and the mental health of minors and adults for that matter. It’s

tough to find anyone you know who doesn’t use or hasn’t used TikTok. The app is very

addictive, and their algorithm draws you in with more videos you like based on the videos you

spend the most amount of time viewing, your followers, and your likes. The algorithms that these

social media giants use also has been on a lot of people’s mind especially in Congress. The

Facebook whistle blower Francis Haugen said, “since social media platforms like TikTok,

Twitter and YouTube operate using similar algorithms, regulators should push for more

transparency about how they work as a first step”. The concern is warranted, and something

should be done about it, but letting the government control how we use social media and what

we see isn’t the answer.

Although it seems like all members in congress are against TikTok and should get it

banned due to the very rare amount of bipartisanship we see, there are some who don’t agree
with the ban at all. Some democratic officials have pushed by their colleagues to stop using it,

but they believe that they have a responsibility as public officials to meet Americans where they

are. Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota said, “I’m sensitive to the ban and recognize

some of the security implications. But there is no more robust and expeditious way to reach

young people in the United States of America than TikTok”. He is absolutely right in my eyes,

there are security risks, but banning an app based on allegations and no hard facts isn’t the right

answer.

Social media and the affects it has on everyone’s mental health is a huge issue facing

America. Let’s take for example fitness; if you scroll on Instagram or TikTok you will see

hundreds or thousands of people who have perfect genetics, perfect muscle insertions, and may

even be using steroids showing off their body. Everything about them is perfect, but this doesn’t

mean it’s the majority of people in the world who love to work out, we subconsciously compare

ourselves to them and think, “ why don’t I look like that? I work out and eat right everyday”.

Theodore Roosevelt is quoted saying, “comparison is the thief of joy” and this is something more

people near to hear and understand, life isn’t fair and comparing yourself to others ( whether it be

with fitness, wealth, or beauty) will only worsen your situation. With all of this being said, the

government should be worried about the correlation between social media and mental health

issues. However, the government having more control over the American people is not the right

answer. I believe the right answer is to start the conversation about the dangers of social media,

get people educated and let them decide how they go about fixing the issue, we do live in the

land of the free…right?


Capoot, Ashley. “More Social Media Regulation Is Coming in 2023, Members of Congress
Say.” CNBC. CNBC, January 2, 2023. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/01/more-social-media-
regulation-is-coming-in-2023-members-of-congress-say.html. 

Aslam, Salman. “TikTok by the Numbers (2023): Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts.” Omnicore
Agency. Omnivore Agency, February 27, 2023. https://www.omnicoreagency.com/tiktok-
statistics/. 

Amiri, Farnoush. “Members of Congress on TikTok Defend App's Reach to Voters.” AP NEWS.
Associated Press, April 3, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-congress-ban-national-
security-14d60d562d2550cd483f4c7d8a8de5af. 

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