YES

Kaitlyn Ding ‘28

REPORTER

A life without TikTok feels inconceivable. People have long debated whether a ban on the beloved app would benefit or harm the nearly one-third of Americans who use it daily. However, behind all the funny memes and famous dances is a serious privacy concern. Numerous countries have banned TikTok, including India and Nepal, due to suspicions about user data being collected and sold to third parties and allegedly, the Chinese government. In fact, this issue was brought to the attention of the legislative body and prompted a new bill to be signed that caused a nationwide ban of TikTok in the United States. However, the ban was quickly reversed by President Trump.

Another concern that many parents have is that TikTok is negatively affecting children’s mental health. After asking various students at the high school, most had downloaded TikTok at around the age of 12. At this age, kids are starting to move into the adolescent stage of their life, and any influence from TikTok could be detrimental to their growth. TikTok has significant adult-oriented content that may not be appropriate for a pre-teen. Explicit content could be harmful in youth development, normalizing aggressive behavior. Furthermore, junior Sophie Li said that “TikTok worsens peer pressure” and “creates fashion trends” that contribute to an unhealthy environment that leaves children wanting to grow up and compare themselves to others.

Lastly, high school students must avoid becoming addicted to TikTok and stay on top of their academics. Senior Amelia Miller said, “Before I deleted TikTok, I would always scroll instead of doing my homework.” If TikTok is impeding completion of schoolwork, then a ban would be very beneficial for high school students’ academic performance. Ultimately, for privacy, mental health, and academic concerns, TikTok should be banned.

NO

Brooke Hathaway ‘28

REPORTER

Social media platform TikTok is currently under scrutiny. Potential TikTok bans had been proposed for years but did not actually happen until this past January. The Federal Trade Commission has concerns over the type and amount of data provided by TikTok users. The U.S. government’s alleged reason for the ban is for the safety of the United States; they have accused TikTok of collecting user data and selling it to third parties and allegedly, the Chinese government, thus threatening national security. Many people feel that if the country is going to ban TikTok because of safety concerns, then actions should be taken toward other potential threats as well.

Additionally, freshman Aletta Ebersohn suggests that jobs are being put at risk. She said, “A lot of influencers and people make their money off [through the app], and without TikTok, they lose their job.” Creators have expressed their fears of losing their TikTok fanbase, thus losing their source of income. When it comes to students at the high school and their use of TikTok, 15 out of the 15 students who were surveyed said they do not support the banning of TikTok. Senior Elle Casten feels that “small businesses thrive on TikTok” and that she “relies on TikTok for the latest information on restaurants and businesses.” She also uses TikTok for entertainment, saying, “I get funny and entertaining things on my For You Page.”

Students at the high school use TikTok in a way that brings them joy. At the end of the day, Ebersohn believes that “while it has its bad factors, you can find people who look like you, have shared experiences, and you can receive tips.” She and many others believe TikTok can be used as a tool to help students in everyday life and do not believe it is a threat to them. TikTok is currently still planning to be banned 75 days after the original date of January 20. Hopefully, the ban will be reversed after the new date, April 5, and users will still be able to use the app.