After a house vote of 352-65, ruling in favor of banning TikTok, Congress seems to be pushing for the ban Even the president has stated that if the bill gets passed by the Senate, he will sign the vote, banning TikTok. While this seems false and even like a fairytale, it could become a part of reality. 

While the TikTok ban may seem like a simple patch, it will only cause more issues.

The main worry about the TikTok ban is that people’s voices will be silenced. The purpose of TikTok is to be a form of self-expression. If the TikTok ban goes through, many people and many issues will go silent. TikTok, in a way, teaches people new things and sometimes could save lives. People spreading how they feel about certain things can prevent others from making the same mistake, and something as simple as liking a song can feel great to express on TikTok. Singing along and feeling free feels great when there is freedom for self-expression.

Another issue about the TikTok ban is how if it gets banned, it will prevent people from making money. People use TikTok to share their small businesses and even sell their items on the TikTok shop. Without TikTok, some sales would be down, businesses could be flopping, and some would even go out of business. Not only businesses rely on TikTok, though. Some individuals are a part of the TikTok creator fund program, which is where TikTokers make money for simple things like funny videos or how-to videos. Some TikTokers use the money they make from the creator fund to feed their children, and without it, there’s a possibility a family could run out of money. While some people can get jobs, some people cannot work and posting a TikTok is the best they can do. Some people can even make as much as six figures ‘working’ on TikTok. TikTok is a valuable platform that should not be banned.

While TikTok might not really get banned, it might have to get sold to US investors to run the app. The issue with this is that they will limit what can and can not be seen on people’s “For You” pages, which is a bad thing. Without TikTok freedom, some people would have no idea about the issues happening around the world like things going on in Palestine, Sudan and other issues that news outlets cover up. Instead, TikTok will cover up any issues wrong in the US that portray the country in a certain (negative) way or silence voices that are trying to speak their freedom. 

While some people feel like TikTok has no use, it has helped many people. It can help someone learn how to cook, it can help people learn how to communicate properly and it can do a wide variety of things. TikTok is a wonderful app, that yes, needs some changes, but is a valuable asset to this generation. TikTok lovers and supporters can work together to stop the ban by petitioning.