TikTok, the app that turned everyone into a dancer, chef and amateur conspiracy theorist overnight, was potentially facing a ban. On Jan. 10, the Supreme Court upheld a law requiring ByteDance—TikTok’s parent company—to either sell the app to a U.S. company or shut down operations in the country by Jan. 19.
The U.S. government claimed TikTok was a “Trojan horse” for the Chinese government. The app collected vast amounts of user data, including browsing history, location and device information, raising concerns over how this data might be used.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew addressed the situation in a video on the official TikTok profile.
“Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on TikTok, a ban on you and your voice,” Chew said.
The implications of this ban were far-reaching. With TikTok gone, many competitors would try to fill that hole in the market. Another concern was that the ban would raise global tensions. However, the main issue centered on free speech.
Critics of bans argued that restricting TikTok infringed on users’ rights to access and share information.
Chad Hickenbottom, senior marketing major, expressed his thoughts on free speech.
“I read about the ban, and speaking as a former TikTok user, I am a firm believer in free speech, and I don’t approve,” Hickenbottom said.
Public response was divided. Awareness of the situation was low within the campus community, with many students saying they didn’t know about the ban—either because they weren’t on the app or because the news hadn’t reached them. Many still believed TikTok could be saved, but the deadline was fast approaching.
When discussing the likelihood of the ban taking effect, Ethan Dupree, freshman mechanical engineering major, was skeptical.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen. I think the government is going to postpone it,” Dupree said.
The law was upheld, resulting in a roughly 12-hour ban during which TikTok was down before being quickly restored by President Trump. TikTok users in the United States breathed a sigh of relief as the ban was put on hold. The issue was reassessed due to a new executive order, and the app remained active for 75 more days until a final decision was reached. The long-term solution was either for TikTok to be owned by an American company or for new legislation to pass.
With that in mind, trends come and go, and the TikTok era might end soon. If it disappears, it could become the next Vine.
