With over 1 billion monthly active users globally, 170 million users in the U.S. are worried about the “TikTok” Ban. Here is everything you need to know.
By: Ariana Lopez and Sophia Rodriguez
In April 2024, President Joe Biden signed a law granting the government the authority to ban foreign-owned apps that threaten national security. This requires the Chinese-owned company ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets by Jan. 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.
Why are they trying to ban TikTok?
The bill passed with considerable support from two opposing parties. Many lawmakers worried that the Chinese government could access Americans’ data through TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and use it to surveil Americans, spread misinformation, and sway public opinion.
The Chinese law requires companies in China to share the personal data they gather with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Chinese government could exploit TikTok’s algorithm for American users and could unveil them to communist propaganda which could cause an influence in elections, domestic and international policy, and other political processes.
According to Britannica, TikTok contains “‘tutorials’ to make dangerous drugs at home to extremists’ false political claims to misleading clips of speeches to deepfake videos, TikTok not only contains but promotes dangerous, inaccurate, and inappropriate information.” The app is also being used as a firsthand search engine of Gen Z, earning the nickname “new google” as of 2022 according to The Wall Street Journal.
During a five-hour congressional meeting, testimonies touched on different topics such as addictiveness, misinformation, children’s safety, mental health, selling data, and data security. (TechTarget)
What countries is TikTok banned in?
Some countries such as India and Afghanistan, have fully implemented a ban on the app. Many other countries have initiated a partial ban on TikTok, meaning the government cannot access it.
Will TikTok disappear from my phone?
While the laws seem to concern the app TikTok, it’s actually the companies that make the platform accessible to download in the U.S. Including app stores like Apple’s App Store and Google Play, as well as cloud service providers like Oracle.
If you already have TikTok on your phone, it won’t disappear on Jan. 19. That means users will no longer be able to download the app or any updated versions of it. And without the ability to update, the platform won’t be able to fix bugs, add features or address security concerns. It may also become incompatible with the operating system of certain phones.
What are alternative apps for TikTok?
As TikTok is on edge of being banned soon, millions are bracing for a digital shift, and users across the nation are flocking to other platforms.
As TikTok’s distinctive algorithm has made it the go-to platform, some alternative apps are trying to fill in the gap TikTok will leave. Lemon8, also owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, a lesser-known lifestyle app that allows users to post pictures and short-form videos. Though the platform lets users post TikTok-like videos, it leans more toward pictures and has been described as a mixture of Instagram and Pinterest.
Known as Xiaohongshu, which translates to “little red book,” RedNote features a layout similar to Pinterest and is often described as a Chinese version of Instagram. According to TechCrunch, the app’s focus on short-term content, similar to TikTok, has helped it emerge as an alternative app.
TikTok’s Historical Timeline
2012 – ByteDance Is Founded
April 2015 through March 2016 – muscial.ly Takes Off
June 2017 – China’s National Intelligence Law Goes into Effect
Aug. 2, 2018 – TikTok Merges with musical.ly, Launching App in United States
Nov. 1, 2019 – TikTok Reportedly Under U.S. National Security Review
Dec. 2019-Jan. 3, 2020 – U.S. Military Bans TikTok on Government Devices
Nov. 12, 2020 – U.S. Department of Commerce Will Not Enforce The TikTok Ban Rumor
June 11, 2021 – President Joe Biden Overturns Trump Executive Order 13942
Dec. 22, 2022 – ByteDance Reveals Data Leak
Dec. 29, 2022 – Biden Signs No TikTok on Government Devices Act
Dec. 6, 2024 – Federal Appeals Court Upholds Federal Ability to Ban TikTok
Dec. 13, 2024 – D.C. Circuit Court Denies Request to Freeze TikTok Ban Law
Dec. 27, 2024 – Trump Asks Supreme Court to Delay Start of TikTok Ban
Jan. 10, 2025 – Supreme Court Hears TikTok Case
Jan. 15, 2025 – TikTok Indicates the App Will Be Completely Shut Down Immediately if Banned
Jan. 16, 2025 – TikTok “Refugees” Flock to RedNote
Jan. 17, 2025 – Reports Say Biden Administration Won’t Enforce TikTok Ban
Jan. 17, 2025 – U.S. Supreme Court Upholds TikTok Ban
Ariana Lopez
Ariana Lopez-Salguero, '27, is an avid participant in cross country at Redwood High School. With a passion for sports and entertainment, Ariana aspires to write and share stories, aiming to increase awareness and understanding of individuals on the triumphs of fellow Ranger athletes.
Sophia Rodriguez
Sophia Rodriguez, class of 2027, is a first-year journalism student who dedicates her time in writing for sports entertainment.
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Actually devastating, anyone who wasn’t on TikTok ever doesn’t know how awful this is. I’m going to miss all those strangers (reference sort of).