On January 18th, 2025, America witnessed something that could impact their life tremendously, and that solely depended on one app: TikTok. At first, most were unconcerned because this is said yearly, and nothing is ever done about it. However, this time was different. That night, Americans began to receive a message saying that TikTok would be unavailable in the US for some time. It also mentioned TikTok working with President Trump to restore the app for Americans. This chaos started because ByteDance refused to divest into the app and because the government believes that national security and data privacy concerns are also linked.
Though it is just an app, many Americans, including myself, cannot live without it. However, some were more dramatic than others. The few hours the United States did not have TikTok showed how addicted we are to our phones and how much we rely on them for everything, especially entertainment.
Before the ban, TikTok users posted videos, letting other users know that the Chinese app, RedNote, was TikTok’s twin. Many users on TikTok made their way to RedNote, themselves and the Chinese referring to them as “TikTok refugees.”
However, many users initially urged others to go to Lemon8. Those plans failed because ByteDance owns TikTok, Lemon8, and CapCut.
Fortunately, by morning, TikTok was restored in the United States. Unfortunately, it was temporarily unavailable in the App Store. If a user deleted the app, thinking it was banned forever, they could not re-download it. TikTok users warned others not to update their phones, possibly triggering its deletion. However, worries have subsided, as the app is back in the App Store, and users can update or install it.
Ultimately, banning TikTok would have infringed on our First Amendment right to freedom of expression. TikTok provides that right, allowing videos to unite people and create communities based on similar interests.
However, there is something to acknowledge: Though TikTok is back, it is not precisely back permanently. Trump gave the app a 75-day extension, but it now falls into a “gray area.”
Although TikTok’s future lies in the hands of the government, there are two sides to consider: the government’s and the people’s. While the government wants to keep the US safe from possible threats, they are also taking away the citizens’ First Amendment. Time is winding down for TikTok, and it is evident there is more to come.
