Across the world, several countries have started to ban TikTok over the safety concerns of their users. The U.S. might also become a new addition to this group, the government explaining that they believe TikTok is giving user data, such as browsing history and location, to the Chinese government. Several PPCHS students had thoughts to share about the app that took the world by storm.

“I don’t think that the government should eliminate TikTok. It is an app that helps people express themselves and their passions. It does have a few negative things but so do plenty of other things that are not banned as well.” – Michael Alexander (Senior)

“Getting TikTok banned is not as bad as some people think. There are plenty of issues, especially with privacy. Tiktok has a connection with China and if the government were to ask about our information TIktok would hand it to them. There are no benefits in TikTok so banning it would be a harmful thing, it’s an infinite, addictive app.” – Nicholas Lobo (Junior)

“I think for one part it’s good that they’re going to ban TikTok because it might be safer since there are safety concerns about the app using users’ personal data. It would also be good because sometimes I spend too much time on TikTok and even though I’ve tried to delete it to try and limit the time I spend on my phone, I still redownload it. On the other hand, TikTok is a fun app to do dances with friends and sometimes it has helpful information.” – Andrea Porras (Junior)

“When it comes to TikTok being banned, I just find it to be an ineffective solution to the problem. The thing is, even if TikTok gets banned, another company can easily just enter the market to do the exact same thing if not something better than TikTok. I’m not saying I want it banned even if it did solve the problem though, since they’ve provided no evidence and, in my opinion, abusively questioned the CEO, it made our country look bad on a global scale. People have even made TikToks making fun of the government during that entire conference. Plus, banning it would just cause more chaos, especially with the young generation, so either way, banning TikTok is just a terrible idea.” – Mia Fu (Sophomore)

“I think the TikTok ban is a very unintelligent ban and the senators do not know what they are talking about. Also, the bill made to ban TikTok will be a very serious change for US citizens. However, I feel many people will just switch to Instagram reels. Considering Instagram is an American company so it can’t be banned like TikTok, for international safety, even though its run by Mark Zuckerberg who had many privacy issues for his users with Facebook.” – Harris Khan (Sophomore)

“TikTok getting banned wouldn’t be such a bad idea because it’s more harmful than useful. Almost all teenagers have TikTok. They have become addicted to it, they have stopped doing school work, hanging out with friends, and they have just become more lazy. If TikTok were to get banned then students and people, in general, would be more productive.” – Matthew Lewis (Freshman)

“I think TikTok should be banned, but I don’t like the way the government is doing it. The bill is too vague and it could also make it illegal to use a VPN to bypass any content restrictions online. I still think TikTok should be banned though, it adds no value to American society.” – Benjamin Nguyen (Sophomore)