After January 19th, Generation Z’s beloved social media scrolling app, TikTok, was removed from the app store after federal legislation passed to ban the platform for national security reasons. However, in the past week, you may have seen a notification on your app saying it was back in the app store. This has left many students wondering how, after its removal, TikTok has returned. Others couldn’t care less. However, it does raise a bigger question: What are the impacts of TikTok?
After the ban on January 19th, TikTok made a deal with Donald Trump to remain active for an additional 90 days to find a U.S.-based buyer. TikTok has previously been vocal about not wanting to sell its platform, as its algorithms would reportedly break if separated from its parent company, ByteDance. Since TikTok became active again on January 21st, many users have reported concerns that the platform has added a new layer of censorship. This issue has been previously raised on other social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, both of which are owned by Meta. Rumors have circulated that TikTok may sell to Meta, especially after Instagram recently prompted users to connect their accounts with TikTok following the ban. While many students are excited to have TikTok back in the app store, some believe the app is unnecessary.
Sophomore Hailey Hammaged shared her thoughts, saying she “lowkey loves TikTok,” while Lara Rogers, a freshman at Hillcrest, added, “TikTok is fire, and I could not live without my daily brain rot.”
While most students enjoy TikTok for its entertainment value, some, like Krish Patel, a sophomore at Hillcrest, see it differently. Krish states, “It’s a great place for communities to thrive and to get access to active, non-biased news.” For many, TikTok is more than just mindless scrolling—it serves as a space to connect, learn, and engage with their interests.
However, some students and teachers have a different perspective on TikTok. English teacher Mrs. Vierow stated, “Honestly, I don’t understand the app, and from what I’ve observed, it has had a negative impact on my students, so it’s not my favorite thing in the world.” Mrs. Vierow offers a teacher’s perspective, pointing out how the rise of TikTok has become a distraction in the classroom. Many students agree with her, including Kylee Bryant, a freshman at Hillcrest, who says, “I don’t have TikTok, and honestly, it seems like a dumb app—there’s nothing valuable to do on it.”
While TikTok is back for now, the future of the app remains uncertain. The real question is: Should we even want it to stay?
