As of Mar. 21, the social media platform TikTok is available in over 150 countries and contains over one billion users according to Wallaroo Media. TikTok is roughly 15 seconds up to 10 minute videos that can be uploaded by various users creating any genre of content they desire. The app has recently raised concerns of users’ own safety and security. Because of this, the Biden Administration has recently threatened to ban the app in the U.S. as reported by The NPR. This concern fails to acknowledge the benefits of the app, mainly being used as a source of entertainment and educational information. As well as offering a platform for people and businesses alike to promote themselves.

Time Magazine, an American news outlet with reports on current and national updates, addressed that concerns were first acknowledged by security and federal officials being cautious of China’s Communist Party (CCP). The officials believed that the CCP having the ability to collect data from American TikTok users would be a threat to national security. On Apr. 14, Montana became the first U.S. state to approve the bill to ban TikTok which will diminish the amount of current users as well future users of the opportunity to use the app.

Many users state that they use the social media platform as a way to freely express themselves. Center For Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), an organization that strives to define the future of national security, states that the U.S. government does not have the authority to ban this app as it is a form of speech which is protected under the First Amendment.

Social media is viewed negatively but there are positive aspects to it. TikTok’s algorithm is based solely on an individual user’s own interests and explores content from around the world making it a different experience for all users. 

Advocates can create a voice for themselves on topics they feel strongly upon and share their own passions. This can include dance videos, get ready with me content, comedy, popular clips from TV shows or movies and much more. The app can easily exclude harmful social media aspects such as rude comments, because creators have the option of limiting or disabling comments that are unwanted.

Another benefit of the algorithm is how easily small businesses can gain a large audience through short videos promoting their product. Large corporations use TikTok as a mechanism to make their advertisements accessible to anyone that scrolls upon them. Through the wide range of ages that use TikTok, brands can fuel their own success by creating relatable trends that surface on the app. 

Chipotle, Duolingo and Fenty Beauty are successful examples of brands that have used TikTok effectively to promote and engage a new audience according to No Good, a website that markets the world’s most successful brands.

Users discover many new things on the app as they create new opportunities for their own enjoyment such as discovering music, artists and news. TikTok could also provide users with opportunities to connect and develop potential friendships with others and make a community.

Banning the app would restrict users on connecting with others globally who may share some of the same qualities. TikTok can be used as an outlet for those who can express themselves emotionally. The Los Angeles Times reported that there are mental health experts on the app that could provide users with comfort and validations for those who feel alone and think that no one else faces similar struggles.

Hashtags that trend on the app is another way similar viewers can reach one another and connect. Users can easily label their videos under various topics. This can help reach the target audience for those who could relate or even reach therapists and psychiatrists on the app. Healthline, an online source which focuses on mental well being and health, recognizes TikTok as a mental health resource since users can advocate for mental health and reach widespread audiences on topics from depression to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Depending on how much time is spent on the app, the experience that users can go through will be a varying one from good or bad. Psych Reg, a digital media company that provides information and resources on psychology, health, and wellness, lists that stress reduction and happiness are some of the reasons why the platform could contribute to a user’s relief or be used as a temporary distraction.

Banning TikTok without looking at the positive aspects of the app, would be seen as ripping away a source of entertainment and a form of self expression in the media. Other social media platforms have followed similar aspects as TikToks but could not replace the app itself. TikTok allows for an immersive and different experience for every user that has a right to use their voice which could be used efficiently for others to see and connect.