In 2020, President Donald Trump proposed the first draft of a ban on the famous social media app TikTok. Now, five years later, the Chinese-owned company TikTok has been fighting ban threats on and off since the app gained relevance.
On January 18, TikTok users in America received a pop-up stating, “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you cannot use TikTok for now.”
Users of the app were infuriated that their beloved TikTok had been banned. Some even decided to delete the app due to frustration and the assumption that it was never going to make a return.
Bolles student Brodie Colyer ‘27 was one of the users who deleted the app. “I deleted the app not knowing it would be brought back.” At first, Colyer couldn’t re-download the app because it was removed from the App Store until February 13.
Other users of TikTok mindlessly kept opening the app out of habit. “The morning after the TikTok ban I opened the app around six to seven times just for me to see the same ban pop-up as I did the night before,” said Preston Hager ‘28.
After the app was banned, many users immediately resorted to Instagram reels. Although some users, like Jimmy Hunt ‘28, call this a “watered-down version of TikTok,” users were desperate to continue scrolling on any app possible. “I think it has its moments but it is 100% not as consistent as TikTok,” said Hunt.
Some people were also huge advocates for the app Rednote, a Chinese copy of TikTok and Instagram with a similar layout to Pinterest. This app gained influxes of users from the United States when TikTok was rumored to be banned before the new year. Although most users stuck with Instagram reels, as most of them already had the app downloaded because of the normal Instagram aspect, some preferred Rednote because of it being more censored than Instagram reels. Instagram reels commonly include crude or violent content some users do not want to see.
16 hours later, TikTok was brought back to the U.S. Although it is currently back, the ban was placed on a 90-day delay in hopes of coming to a conclusion and agreement that works both with the beloved app and the U.S. government. “No, I do not think TikTok will be banned Because Trump wants to gain Gen Z popularity and will do that by keeping TikTok up and running,” said Bolles student Clara Venus ‘27 regarding the TikTok ban. “I also don’t think TikTok should be banned because the app is a source of entertainment and brings people together in a community. It is a source of thrill and fun to relieve stress. I do however believe TikTok may need limitations on what it should have access to on our phones but it should not be banned as it has helped many out as a source of income and helped others gain friends.”
