Should Lawmakers Ban TikTok? by Luke Spivak

TikTok’s deep cultural integration and economic value outweigh the security and addiction concerns, making a total ban impractical.

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Business Opportunities

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Many entrepreneurs use TikTok to boost their businesses

Creators like Khamyra Sykes rely on TikTok for brand deals and revenue generation

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"'If Tiktok was banned in the US, I would lose out on a large part of my fanbase and also brand deals,' Sykes says. 'Banning TikTok will cause a huge job loss for creators who depend solely on TikTok for their livelihood, and will have a devastating impact on small businesses that use it for marketing and sales.'"

Professionals, including immigration attorneys and content creators, use TikTok to market their services and connect with clients.

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Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez, an immigration attorney in Miramar, Florida, uses TikTok to market her law practice to her 83,000 followers. Her short videos offer a light take on an otherwise heavy subject: In one, an image of her morphs into a fiery superhero who takes flight. “Me on my way to get my client out of immigration deportation/removal proceedings,” the caption reads.

Experts say TikTok can be highly addictive

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Critics say TikTok is “digital fentanyl” because of its addictive nature, potential for shortening attention spans, and role in spreading misinformation.

Cultural Impact

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Users say the platform allows them to express themselves

Concerns about national security

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Lawmakers argue that TikTok’s Chinese ownership poses a risk of data exploitation and national security threats.

TikTok has transformed how people access information

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Users like Gabby Beckford use it as a one-stop visual search engine for travel, lifestyle tips, and personal recommendations.

Rebuttal: ByteDance is a private company

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In response to concerns about national security, TikTok has said the Chinese Communist Party has no control over its platform and that ByteDance is a private company which is owned mostly by global institutional investors – including Americans.

Rebuttal

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“It’s up to each individual to decide what apps are positive or negative for the purpose in which they are looking to use the app, or what they are looking to get out of it,” [Taccara and Yinka Lawanson] say.

While the concerns about mental health and misinformation are valid, similar issues are present on other social media platforms.

Shortens attention spans

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“TikTok has changed some aspects of our lives negatively … it has shortened our attention span and allows for the proliferation of misinformation,” says Christina Ferraz, founder of Houston-based public relations agency Thirty6five.