Lawmakers want to ban TikTok. Here's what users are saying at stake:
We spoke to nine young people across the United States about how Prohibition will change their lives.
If you can put TikTok into an image,
If you can help me visualize it,
I think almost everyone is in that state.
Also comes with a washing machine.
And it's just spinning and everything is falling into place
Maybe they're mixed and the colors bleed into each other.
And no matter what happens in the world,
No matter what temperature we feel,
We all feel it together in that big space.
washing machine.
Alexa Walkovitz is one of the more than 150 million U.S. users who incorporate TikTok's 60-second videos into their lives.
But the US government is concerned that TikTok, owned by Chinese internet giant ByteDance, is sharing sensitive user data with the Chinese government. TikTok has been banned from government-issued cell phones, Congress is seeking a nationwide ban on the app, and the Biden administration is pushing ByteDance to sell it.
Among users like Mx. Wolkowitz and these lawmakers have a fundamental disconnect regarding TikTok. Despite officials highlighting the dangers of the platform, many young Americans disagree with these concerns. They see apps not as a threat to national security, but as a central platform for finding information, community, and entertainment.
In your own words, what's going on in Washington?
“There are bigger problems in this country.
It's an app. ”
“I feel like this is distracting me.
I think other important issues are being covered up. ”
“It’s really a group of older people who are making an effort.
To distract the country from the real problems that are actually happening.
Issues that pose a real danger.
We're talking about banning TikTok if you have kids
Shot in the classroom.
That's what's important. ”
“I think young people, myself included, are very angry.
About trans rights and trans youth. ”
“Reproductive Rights, Safe Abortion.”
“And a lot more.”
In 2020, TikTok rose to popularity thanks to its viral dance videos and catchy pop songs. This app is now a constantly published forum. It has started and defined cultural trends through powerful algorithms that curate the videos shown to users based on how they interact with the content.
TikTok has expanded beyond being a fad, becoming the search engine for many Gen Zers and stealing advertising business from its rivals. According to analytics firm Sensor Tower, TikTok's U.S. users spend an average of 93 minutes a day on the app, nearly twice as much time as they spend on Facebook or Instagram. The platform is a forum for people to build meaningful communities and engage in discussions about politics, faith, and identity.
How do you use TikTok?
“It’s really our very own YouTube and Google rolled into one.”
“It's free information so you can find it quickly.”
“A lot of people use it to learn new things.
To discover a new passion.
Sometimes I don't know what I'm interested in
That's TikTok until you see them
That's true. ”
“History and books,
How to care for your teeth. ”
“Proper weightlifting techniques and recipes”
“I mainly watch content related to fitness.”
“When asked about the latest trending TikTok dance:
1, I know it, 2, I would probably do it
there. ”
“This was one of my first platforms.
Black creators who were able to truly monetize and grow
It's my platform. ”
However, TikTok has also been criticized for being too addictive. Republicans are calling the app “digital fentanyl.” It has also been criticized for providing young people with harmful content about eating disorders and self-harm, endangering young people's lives with viral threats, and promoting manipulated and misleading media.
Have you experienced any downsides to using TikTok?
“I only recognize the pure time I lost.”
“If TikTok gets banned, the first thing you'll see is a lot more people.”
A few hours before our time. ”
“I had a problem with how I was using it.
We set a time limit of about 30 minutes per day.
and I still find myself entering the password
And give yourself more time.
I think my attention span has increased because of that.
It got worse over time.
And it becomes difficult to do what needs to be done. ”
“I won't use it.
I've always had an aversion to it.
I've seen it like social media heroin.
It's very powerful.
That’s really—
So I think it's a tribute to TikTok.
Very well designed.
Everyone seems completely enamored. ”
“To be honest, TikTok changed my life.”
In a good direction. “
“Yes, I feel like I can be my true self.”
It feels more like that on the platform than in real life. ”
“I've made a lot of friends on the Internet,
real life. “
“And that’s something I really value.
it just regained credibility
Social media for me. ”
Criticism of major social media platforms is not new. Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube have long faced scrutiny from lawmakers over how their products exacerbate mental health problems among young people.
But when it comes to TikTok, lawmakers are concerned that the Chinese government could use it to spy on American users. Last month, TikTok's CEO, Shou Chu, testified before Congress and sought to present TikTok as an independent company free from Chinese influence. He emphasized TikTok's plans to protect U.S. data and denied that the Chinese government controls ByteDance, although he acknowledged reporting directly to ByteDance CEO Liang Rubo. Ta.
Worried about your privacy on TikTok?
“Adults who don't even understand…
You have TikTok and they’re like, “Oh.
It came from China.
This is bad.
China is to blame.
They're going to get the data.
It's not that simple. ”
“American companies, especially Apple,
And Google is famous for collecting large amounts of information.
If there are people who feel uncomfortable due to the large amount of data,
they are already used to it
Without knowing it.
Privacy is truly a thing of the past. ”
“And we know that everyone is stealing our data.
So I'm not really worried about that happening.
To China.
Or even if it is, I don't really care. ”
“To me, it seems like we're still just in the early stages.”
I can't return it, but I'm not worried.
That's exactly right. ”
Despite concerns about TikTok, a nationwide ban is still a long way off. But the app already has narrower limits. Some universities, including Auburn University in Alabama, have banned the app from campus Wi-Fi networks. The Montana Legislature has approved a complete ban on TikTok in the state.
However, such prohibitions are difficult to enforce. In Alabama and elsewhere, users are already returning to the platform.
So what should you do?
“I do not support banning TikTok.”
“I do not support banning TikTok.
I love TikTok. ”
“And I don’t know if I’m delusional or not;
Because I really-
I can't imagine my life without TikTok. ”
“The ban appears to be the final and strongest decision.”
“I support banning TikTok because I think the algorithm is the problem.”
What they produce has many negative effects,
Especially when it comes to attention span. ”
“If it's banned, a lot of people will lose out.”
Their jobs will mean losing their safe spaces and communities.
we deserve “
“Personally, I'm concerned about how I look.”
Social media was work for me, now what I have to do for work
I was really looking forward to going to university and working. ”
“I kind of resent this concept.”
Ban TikTok.
I feel like if you're going to do it, give it a try.
And get over it. “
project creditsreporterkaley fan
senior producer jess park
Production managerSameen Amin
produceralexandra eaton
video editorShane O'Neill
story editorrebecca liberman