TikTok will potentially be removed from app stores or banned Sunday, Jan. 19. All existing American users will still have access to the app; however, users won’t be able to update their app via their app store. ByteDance, the popular app’s Chinese parent company, will not be able to fix bugs which will in turn make the app experience security risks and compatibility issues.
In April of 2024, Congress passed a bill to ban foreign apps such as TikTok nationwide that pose a threat to America. If ByteDance doesn’t sell the app to an American company it will no longer be available in Apple’s App Store or Google Play, and users will be unable to access it on a U.S. internet browser. The apps Capcut and Lemon8 are owned by the same company and are also at risk of being banned.
“I think it’s very stupid to shut down an app that’s brought joy to people’s lives for years,” junior Leila Noland said. “TikTok has brought awareness on issues to our screens, helps people connect to each other, is quite literally peoples’ jobs and overall such a fun app where people get happiness from.”
TikTok won’t be completely gone; it will still be available to use in other countries outside of the U.S. Because of this, many users are finding ways to change their virtual private network (VPN) to mask their IP address and make it appear as if they’re in a different location, such as another country. However no one really knows if this trick will work because, in the long term, the app will still not be able to download updates, so users will still encounter the same issues.
“I feel that it shouldn’t be banned and it’s not fair to any of the influencers who make a living out of it,” sophomore Ashlyn Morris said. “I will miss it very much. I will probably use Instagram so I can watch the reels.”
Many users are planning to be redirecting their source of entertainment to Instagram Reels after the ban. Instagram Reels are very similar to TikTok, but also have many differences such as video length, content style and audience. Instagram’s maximum video length is 90 seconds, while TikTok’s is 10 minutes.
“I think the TikTok ban is unfair because of the unique community TikTok has built,” junior Jay Bowling said. “It’s especially unfair to creators who built their platforms and even livelihoods on TikTok.”
Many Americans who relied on TikTok as their job may be at risk of losing their source of income. If TikTok really does get shut down or banned, these influencers will have to find another way to make a living. Although no one truly knows what is going to happen to TikTok on Sunday, there is a high chance that the app will no longer be available to U.S. users.
