On January 19, 2025, the popular social media app TikTok was banned in the United States by President Joe Biden, and it was then restored for 90 days after President Donald Trump’s reelection, with the caveat that the platform used by Americans must be American owned, not controlled by the Chinese government.
According to CNN, “TikTok went offline in the United States on the night of January 18, less than two hours before a ban was slated to go into effect. The extraordinary blackout prevented access to one of the world’s most popular social media apps – one that had been used by 170 million Americans” (cnn.com).
“When President Biden banned TikTok, he said that it was because of a national security threat. I see why he would say this because the app is from a foreign country and billions of people use TikTok,” said Sophomore Audrey Forde.
According to NBC News, “TikTok restored service to the United States on January 19 after having blocked it the night before, saying it had done so based on pledges from incoming President Donald Trump to save the app” (nbcnews.com).
According to Forbes Magazine, “Following President Trump’s executive order which extended the grace period of the Supreme Court’s legislation for 75 days, TikTok remained usable on devices (albeit absent from Apple and Google’s app stores)” (forbes.com).
Also according to Forbes Magazine, TikTok returned to Apple and Google’s app stores on February 13, nearly a month after the ban briefly went into effect and barred it from being downloaded by U.S. users — as the Trump administration attempted to sort out a deal that would put it under U.S. ownership and avert an indefinite nationwide ban (forbes.com).
“I have a lot of followers on TikTok and I don’t want it to get banned again. Taking away an app that is so widely utilized is unreasonable. Some people have made a career out of this app. It’s a part of people’s daily routine to watch it, and it can be used for educational purposes,” said Sophomore Ronan DiMaggio.
“TikTok is a part of my everyday life. I know that another ban would only have negative effects on me. I don’t think the government should be involved in deciding what apps people can use,” said Sophomore Malcom Solt.
According to the BBC, there hasn’t been a definitive decision or indication that TikTok will be banned again in the U.S. However, discussions around data privacy, national security concerns, and regulatory scrutiny over TikTok and other foreign-owned apps continues to be ongoing. The situation is fluid and policies may change based on new developments, negotiations, or government actions (bbc.com).
“TikTok isn’t just an app with funny videos. It’s a place where people can connect and bond. I maintain a deep connection with my friends through the videos that we send to each other. I keep streaks with my friends that symbolize our history together. If TikTok gets banned again, that will all go away. To be honest, I don’t think that it will be banned again, since last time it came back the next day,” said Sophomore Mahmood Alani.
“While I don’t think the app should get banned again, if it did it wouldn’t really affect me. There’s a variety of social media apps for people to use like Instagram, Snapchat, and Youtube. I don’t think that banning it due to security concerns is a valid reason. We live in a world where privacy is nonexistent, and assuming that TikTok is the only way our information is stolen is foolishly optimistic,” said Sophomore Ethan Goodwin.