OPINION: TikTok, do we really need it?
By Marissa Contreras
Editor-in-Chief
Published Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025
At 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, the U.S. was hit with a ban that would only last 12 hours. TikTok, ByteDance’s well-known social media platform used by all ages, went through a congressionally mandated ban.
The app’s use has helped small businesses, spread awareness, offered D.I.Y. or allowed people to share light-hearted funny videos. There was something for everyone; however, when TikTok went down, it left everyone turning to other apps, such as Instagram, the social platform X, and RedNote, a Chinese app similar to TikTok.
With this ban came the question, was it ever that serious? As a user myself, I also found myself wondering what would come of my spare time. With time to process my thoughts, I’ve come to realize that this ban was not a big deal.
Everyone found quick replacements for the app; however, since everyone spends so much of their time “doom scrolling” through TikTok, they found themselves consistently trying to open an app that no longer was in service. I myself opened it a couple of times out of muscle memory.
All while, it was gone, and at the time, we thought for good.
When it came back, the joy that ran through my body over an app? Really? It was not that serious and it definitely did not bring me as much joy as I thought it did. In fact, it made me unproductive. Even after everything happening in America, how could I have a breakdown over an app? Because it made me laugh for a bit out of my day? Because it took me away from reality for a few hours?
None of these reasons were enough to justify the way I reacted to this app’s absence. At the end of the day—if it was still banned—I would have been over it by now. I would have moved on to another app, or I maybe would have just accepted it and started doing more productive activities. TikTok was never that serious for me or anyone who used it for just a laugh.
There are way more terrifying and concerning situations happening around the world. This app was just a small portion of our memory. Just like every other old social media platform, it can discontinue or go out of style any day.
To this I say, “TikTok, I love you, but you gotta go.”
