In early 2025, governments around the world increased scrutiny of TikTok for national security and potential misuse of data. The United States joined by putting bans and tight restrictions on the platform. While the move was framed by officials as a way to guard against foreign influence and breaches of data, many in the country erupted in an uproar, most prominently from journalists, influencers, and other content creators for whom TikTok has become such an important tool in reaching their audiences.
Over the years, TikTok has evolved into far more than just an app for entertainment, but a hub of journalism, breaking news, activism, entertainment, and lifestyle insight. For many, TikTok is a way to reach Gen-Z, a generation unlikely to engage with traditional news outlets. These are ties the ban has disrupted and has thrown the public into disarray.
Mark Keppel High School senior, Hayden Cheung, said, “TikTok has become a form of entertainment our generation has grown attached to and will be hit with significant loss from its absence.”
Beyond the effects of individual creators, businesses, and larger corporations were also concerned for themselves as TikTok has evolved to become a key factor in their marketing and publicity. Both business owners and customers showed concern for their TikTok shop activity, with the ban leaving them in uncertainty. Mark Keppel High School senior Madison Kang made a point, saying, “I wonder what happens to all those people who made last minute TikTok shop orders. Will they get refunded or still get sent their package?” According to critics, when governments ban such apps like TikTok, they inadvertently hinder the free flow of information by enforcing restrictions. With the almost sudden announcement of the ban, the public scrambled to prepare and adapt,
Only hours after the ban, TikTok made a surprise return, reportedly after negotiations and assurances over data security had taken place. The brief absence was a reminder of how the platform has become not only a source of entertainment but also a vital conduit through which this generation tells stories, mobilizes around social causes, and accesses information in real time. In its return, it underscored how TikTok has grown to tie deep within the public. In the age of rapid digital communication, platforms like TikTok are more than just entertainment, but represent lifelines for storytelling and community. The ban on TikTok sent a shock through the country, widening perspectives on the impact that it’s made, and what a loss we would be taking with its absence.
