By Evelyn Grade 11

Imagining a TikT ok-free future is a difficult thought for people around the world, but it is a very real possibility for American citizens. On the 24th of April 2024, President Joe Biden passed a law which bans TikT ok if the Chinese company ByteDance owner’s of TikT ok do not sell it within the next nine
months to an American-owned company.

TikT ok has exploded in recent years, rising in the United States and globally. TikT ok has become a massive platform for social change, allowing creators of all kinds to raise awareness about social, political, economic and environmental issues. Not only this but it is a platform for creative freedom, allowing people on the platform to enjoy and participate in trends and connect with people on an international level. Americans and International Citizens alike have been following along with the congress and their reasoning behind this restrictive law. US politicians and lawmakers believe that data from American customers could be breached and sold to the Chinese government, despite the CEO of TikT ok Shou Chew, denying these allegations.

This ban infringes the American’s First Amendment Right; which “protects freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” By banning a platform which has so heavily promoted free speech allowing for issues in all forms to be addressed we must recognise the implications. “This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans”(TikTok Policy).

As a result of this ban, Tiktok aims to refute this law as they believe it is unconstitutional and the company will ensure to create a safe space to share all perspectives.

Works Cited

TikT ok Policy.”Our Statement on Enactment of the TikT ok Ban: This unconstitutional law is a TikT ok ban, and we will challenge it in court. We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail. The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating toensure TikT ok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired.
” Twitter, 24 Apr. 2024, 5:01 pm,
twitter.com/TikT okPolicy/status/1783149300471525637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1783149300471525637%7Ctwgr%5E96e97bb8a600a6435a0404e19daf53be3acc5a13%7Ctwcon%5Es1&ref__url=https%3A%2F%2Ftime.com%2F6971589%2Ftiktok-ban-creators-react%2F .
Vox Staff. What to know about TikTok’s fate in the US. Vox,
http://www.vox.com/2023/3/23/23653325/tiktok-ban-us-china-congress-analysis-explainers.
Accessed 27 Apr. 2024