!e global phenomenon Tiktok houses over one billion active accounts around the world. !at’s more than one eighth of humans on the planet. Tiktok’s rapid increase in popularity resulted in people of all ages coming together to post short snippets of videos. Some argue that the videos are pointless. Some say misleading. Others categorize them as informational. As it happens, Tiktok contains videos for each of these categories. !ough the platform has problematic reputations, there is no doubt that younger generations are completely addicted. Whether it’s watching a “Get Ready With Me” vlog or dance videos, many children, teens, and even adults are completely absorbed by the stimulation. Tiktok has also proved to be a very enjoyable app because of the ability to easily become viral and the instant grati#cation that follows. !e app allows any person who attracts the public’s eye to not only become viral but #nancially successful as well. If there are all these great factors on Tiktok, why would congress look to ban the app? Our country fears the in%uence the Chinese government has. So will our fear result in the ban of Tiktok for the entire country? !e United States and China have dealt with tension for several decades. In January of 2023, a high altitude balloon originating from China made headlines. It raised suspicions and created fear and anger among many in the United States. In a recent article, NPR reported on this fear, stating, “Many in Washington, including lawmakers from both parties and top intelligence o&cials, fear the Chinese government could use TikTok to spy on Americans, push pro-China propaganda, or use the service to interfere in U.S. elections.” For many, the fear and uncertainty persists despite a lack of concrete evidence. Despite polarization, there is some agreement among Democrats and Republicans about a potential threat. When asked about the proposed Tiktok ban, Ella Fontanaza ‘26 responded, “If the U.S. has no hard evidence of suspicious activity then it seems unfair to ban the app. ” !is issue has captured a lot of attention, particularly among youth, and there will likely be backlash either way. As much as many students would hate to admit it, Tiktok has a huge impact on the lives of those who spend time viewing its content. Whether content is made up of unreliable information about current events or popular Tik Tok songs that get stuck in users’ minds, people have fallen in love with this app and spend hours per day on it. When asked how much time she spends on TikTok per day, Anna Weiner ‘26 replied, “On a weekday, I would say 2-3 hours. But on a weekend, I would say 4-5 hours because I o$en #nd myself binge watching.” Many students can relate to this response, #nding the app to be time consuming and di&cult to put down. Ryan Smith ’25 stated, “So many people use TikTok as a source of income so this ban won’t really hurt me as it would other people relying on this app. It would probably just inconvenience me and switch my schedule.” Ryan had a great point regarding the money that TikTok provides to its users. !is could be a big switch for in%uential accounts on the app, as the money TikTok provides would be a big step back for those in%uencers. !e controversy of a TikTok ban brings attention to U.S. tensions with China. !e House of Representatives just passed a bill, leaving the Senate to decide TikTok’s fate. Users should voice their opinions. All it takes is advocacy! !is single decision could drastically change people’s everyday lives and habits. What will happen?