By Brooklyn Staab | Publicity Manager
September 27, 2020
TikTok has become one of the most addicting social media platforms for all ages around the globe. With about 800 million users worldwide, it was the most downloaded app on the Apple Store in 2019. However, these demographics are subject to change under the Trump administration.
TikTok is owned by a Chinese based company called ByteDance. The popular app came to America in 2018, and has gained massive popularity (mostly amongst teens) since then. Many creators publicize their political beliefs, and have used it as an outlet for their thoughts or feelings.
“TikTok is a positive in my life because it is really funny and always makes me laugh, and if it was banned I would be really sad because it’s so entertaining,” junior Madison Hughes said.
Although it has been a great social media outlet for many, the Trump administration has been publicly trying to ban the app in America since July 2020.
“TikTok automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users, including internet and other network activity information such as location data and browsing and search histories. This data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information,” President Trump said in his executive order.
In rebuttal to this, ByteDance responded, “The Executive Order issued by the Administration on August 6, 2020 has the potential to strip the rights of that community without any evidence to justify such an extreme action, and without any due process.”
Most recently, the Trump administration was able to ban any new users from downloading TikTok on September 20, 2020. Shortly after, on September 22, 2020, TikTok released their transparency report as proof they have not illegally shared any information, as well as their plans for moving forward.
Trump implies that Chinese corporations can steal information through TikTok. Although the allegation may not have been proven completely incorrect, could his actions stem from a hatred of China, and not the app?
Trump bluntly calls the Corona Virus the “China Virus,” even though the World Health Organization’s guidelines from 2015 states that a virus or disease cannot be named after a certain country in order to “avoid causing offence to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups.”
“The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government,” Trump said, putting all the blame of Covid-19 onto China, once again.
“TikTok is a great app, and I am not sure why the president is spending so much time on banning it, instead of focusing on the pandemic and economy first,” junior Natalia Martucci said.
The lawsuit between TikTok and Trump has been dragged out and deemed inconclusive many times. Teens should appreciate TikTok while we can still enjoy it!
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