Will you miss TikTok?
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TikTok’s ban in the United States has people all over the country debating the pros and the cons of the app. While some worry about the security risks that come with TikTok, others are worried about what the loss of the app could mean for small businesses and content creators. In Medway, teachers and students alike reflect on how much of an impact an app can have on our daily lives.
Mr. Jasinski, Medway’s robotics, engineering, and physics teacher claims he “can see both sides.” Though Jasinski does not use the app, he understands the risks of national security, but not enough to make a strong argument for or against the app. At the same time, he feels it would be ideal to open up another platform in which the community will be just as easily fostered as it was on TikTok.
Two seniors, Sasha McNaney and Ashton Monteiro have similar feelings on the subject. McNaney, a prominent user of the app has roughly 2.1 million views on a video, and mainly posts art content. They say that though they have received a substantial amount of followers from the video, TikTok’s algorithm makes it difficult for followers to stay loyal. Though they have a large following, their views do not reflect that. As TikTok is championed for its mastery of endless content, the algorithm is designed to keep users engaged. In doing so, TikTok continues to give viewers as much never-seen-before content to keep them on the app, and as a result, accounts that a user follows are shown less. Monteiro, a TikTok user who does not post, believes the ban may have a positive effect on the attention spans of Americans. At the same time, TikTok is not the only platform that relies on short form content, so it is unlikely the ban will eliminate that problem entirely. Monteiro also notes that many TikTok users are downloading a new app, Rednote. Rednote is a Chinese based app that has the same endless video content that TikTok does. Though many have migrated to the platform, it cannot replicate the years of perfectly curated videos each TikTok user placed brick by brick.
As of January 19th 2025, TikTok has gone dark. However, Donald Trump has issued a statement claiming he will issue an executive order to give TikTok more time to find an approved buyer of the app. This order would extend the period of time before the law is in effect.
