The TikTok ban flooded information headlines and social media feeds within the days main as much as it. Whereas cybersecurity considerations are legitimate, the back-and-forth over TikTok distracts Individuals from extra pressing issues, such because the California fires and mass deportations.
Donald Trump first proposed the ban in 2020, citing safety dangers related to China gaining access to Individuals’ information through TikTok. In April 2024, the controversial ban was signed into legislation by then-President Joe Biden. On the night time of Jan. 18, 2025, folks opened the app to a message saying the app was not working within the U.S.
The message additionally shared that TikTok was hopeful that Trump would assist resolve the difficulty, studying, “We’re lucky that President Trump has indicated that he’ll work with us on an answer to reinstate TikTok as soon as he takes workplace.”
The app was revived on Jan. 19 after a message was put out by Trump on his Fact Social platform, offering TikTok with the readability they wanted to get the app operating once more, TikTok stated in an announcement on X.
It’s irritating to look at as Trump swoops in to “save” TikTok from a ban that was his thought within the first place. Many individuals have speculated that Trump “saving” TikTok was a stunt to garner assist from youthful generations, sparking debate over his true motives.
After seeing the entire power and dialogue that went into the ban, it’s laborious to not surprise why the identical effort isn’t spent addressing the a whole bunch of different points going through our nation at the moment.
“I really feel as if the federal government has extra necessary issues to concentrate on as a substitute of our information being utilized by China,” stated freshman broadcast journalism main Valentina Carbonell.
Within the weeks earlier than a typical inauguration, issues like healthcare, immigration and the economic system are sometimes on the forefront of dialogue, however this time they have been placed on the again burner as many Individuals hyper-focused on the specter of dropping their main type of leisure.
I’ve seen numerous folks name on Elon Musk, the multibillionaire who owns X, to purchase TikTok. As a 501(c)(3) proprietor, Musk is required by the Worldwide Income Service to donate at the very least 5% of his Musk Basis income to charitable functions yearly. The New York Occasions studies that he has not met this 5% donation threshold within the final three years. I feel extra folks must be targeted on getting Musk to donate his IRS required cash earlier than they beg him to accumulate a second social media platform.
As an alternative of being spent on TikTok, these a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} may very well be going to sources to assist the homeless and the meals insecure in America, or different extra necessary points that decision for monetary assist.
Whereas the world is actually on hearth and numerous immigrant households anxiously await the unexpected penalties of Trump’s new immigration insurance policies, these points are slipping by means of the cracks as we put our concentrate on the TikTok ban.
Don’t be fooled or distracted by PR campaigns. Billionaires and politicians like Musk and Trump are usually not heroes.