What do you think of the impending TikTok ban?
The U.S Congress has passed a bill proposing to ban the popular social media platform TikTok. The app, which gained popularity at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, became a haven for many who were subjected to isolation as it provided a positive space to drown out the negativity that plagued the world. Now, with its impending ban in the United States, Saipan Tribune took to the community to ask what they think of this possible ban.
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“The debate over a potential ban on a popular social media platform known as TikTok over national security is a hot topic right now in the U.S. Congress, and there’s no clear consensus on a federal ban.
I have no position on the federal ban as I do not have a TikTok account, nor do I plan to create one.
On one side, many fear the Chinese government could access user data or manipulate content to influence individuals. There are also serious concerns that user information collected by TikTok could be misused by its parent company, ByteDance.
On the other hand, a ban could be seen as a censorship and limit free expression on a popular platform. Some argue a ban wouldn’t stop people from using TikTok through virtual private networks (VPNs) or that a ban could hurt businesses and creators who rely on TikTok.
The bill still needs approval from President Biden before becoming law.”
—Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan)
“I understand why there is a movement to ban the platform. In 2020, the U.S. Army and Navy banned the application on government devices over national security concerns regarding the access the application has to users’ locations, contact lists, media files, and more.
The application is owned by a tech company called ByteDance, which must give any and all data it collects to the Chinese government upon request.
I am, however, concerned about the effectiveness of the intended outcome given the fact that so many U.S. companies such as X, Meta, and Amazon collect and sell data to multi-national corporations.”
—Sen. Karl Rosario King-Nabors (R-Tinian)
“I had just come to Saipan at the time and I was just getting into the groove of meeting new people, seeing what was out there for me. Then the pandemic hit. I was forced into isolation, with my only time outside being when I had to buy groceries. Even then, it was short. I felt so lonely without human contact. However, on the days I felt so alone at home, TikTok was there to put a smile on my face. There was a never-ending sea of videos, be it trendy dances, crafty ideas, different meals to try and replicate, and the list goes on. [With the possible ban of TikTok] it would be like the end of an era, like MySpace of Vine. It’s sad but I guess if it happens, it happens.”
—Chlaryze Mae Santos, Garapan
“Being someone who spends a lot of time on TikTok, the idea of it getting banned makes me really, really sad. TikTok is more than another app on my phone. It is a part of my everyday routine. Whether I’m relaxing on the sofa after a tiring day at work or looking for something to laugh at, TikTok is where I turn to.
“During the peak of COVID-19 and quarantine, TikTok felt like a lifeline for me. It’s where I’ve connected with people who share my interests in dancing, cooking, and more. It’s like having a community at my fingertips.
“Beyond entertainment, TikTok has been incredibly helpful for me when seeking product recommendations or learning about health issues. With a health condition that’s uncommon [on] a small island like Saipan, finding relevant information was tough until TikTok came into play. Tiktok has been a valuable resource in guiding me on what foods to eat and providing health tips. I was even able to identify my condition by watching TikTok videos shared by others with experiences.
“Seeing real people share their experiences has changed how I look at aspects of life. If TikTok does get banned, it would not just be losing an app. it would be like losing a part of anyone’s life. It’s more than a platform now. It’s become essential in connecting with others and gaining insights that go beyond the world.”
—Christine Elchico, Finasisu
“I heard about the possible ban and it’s so crazy. I feel like [this generation] gets news and trends from TikTok. I feel like a lot of people and businesses use it too. I think they would suffer a lot from losing TikTok.”
—Erica Bacud, Chalan Kiya
“I hate how they are going to take away something that kept me sane during the COVID-19 era. My TikTok page is filled with things that keeps me motivated and [encourages] self-love. It’s very therapeutic. For me personally, the thing about TikTok is that I could have access to shops that are actually really money-saving and are actually good quality. it also is yet again another therapeutic thing for me to be scrolling on TikTok. It keeps people entertained and happy.”
—Joshua Dungca, China Town
“There’s other problems [the U.S. Congress] needs to focus on. Why are they focusing on social media? TikTok can be a good platform to spread important information. The TikTok ban would impact others trying to spread awareness on the more serious issues of the world. It doesn’t make sense that they’re focusing on a social media platform when there are real life problems that will also affect us.”
—Chareese Lazaga, Capital Hill
“TikTok is one of the popular social media platforms where people can freely express their thoughts and feelings about everything without the government manipulating it in any way. Me along with many others find it very ridiculous that instead of listening to the complaints that people have in this app they instead decide to get rid of the complaint box. To those who follow and pay attention to politics and are aware of what’s going on in Gaza I think it’s very obvious to say that the TikTok ban isn’t about China. If they were so scared of being influenced by communist China why is there “made in China” on so many products and why are they still doing business with China? It’s simple. It was never about China. They want to get rid of the app because it is a dominant news source for people under the age of 30, which matters all lot to the American representatives because they took thousands of dollars from AIPAC and is complicit in a genocide being live streamed on this app and because they are losing trust from the younger generation of Americans. TikTok is one of the reasons why Israel is losing the info wars because statistically, pro-Palestinian content is viewed far more because this is an app of free expression that can’t be manipulated by any government. They want to get rid of this app so they can properly spread propaganda and not let people’s voices be heard.”
—Eitmam Chowdhury, Marianas High School senior
“Personally, as a high school senior I think that the TikTok ban is great. I feel like it’s a waste of time when I used to scroll through similar apps in the past, and from my experience, it has negatively affected my performance in school and other activities. I feel like more people now with the ban, especially the youth and some adults will find that their lives will become more productive. Although, I still feel quite sad because TikTok was kind of funny.”
—Phil Gases, Marianas High School senior
“If TikTok shuts down it puts at risk a lot of creators who put a lot of time and effort into making their content. It was how I got my start back in 2021.
—Simon Necesito, Dandan Middle School teacher
“Since I started using TikTok, it’s always been actually a very controversial app. I’m multi-platform, so not only do I post on Instagram, but also on Facebook and TikTok, but TikTok was actually the app where I first started And so I can see from a perspective of the U.S. passing a bill that it’s (Tiktok) unsafe, just because it’s not a U.S.-based app. And if it is for the public safety, I do agree that it should be banned if there’s data that the U.S. has no control on where the data is going and to how it’s being used.
“In retrospect, I think if it’s a safe move, maybe that is the most positive thing that they should do, right? Being that we live in a time where things are constantly changing all the time, if it’s only right that we do get rid of something that has a negative impact on…our society and the U.S., then maybe [they] can look into it a little bit more.
“But I already know it’s going to be very controversial as it is, because I’m just one of…billions of people that are using TikTok. So maybe my voice might make a little bit of a change in perspective, but I am not sure how I feel about the whole thing, because, like I said, my content is based on TikTok, too. So I think it’s going to be a sensitive topic to talk about…because we all love TikTok, right? It’s just something that most of us use on a daily basis. So I think, yeah, that’s going to be very challenging to accept if they do ban it.”
—Joshua Villagomez (josh _v98)
Social media influencer with 11.3k followers on IG, 45.4 followers and 1.2M likes on Tiktok
“As a teen who mostly spends her quality time on social media and also grew up with the app…I think that banning TikTok will effect many people within my age group that grew up using it because TikTok allowed us to be creative with new trends. On the other hand I wouldn’t say it would be so bad because many social platforms have been updated offering what TikTok used to for us such as Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube reels.”
—Jerae Oronigo, San Vicente
Celina Babauta
Karl Rosario King-Nabors
Erica Bacud
Joshua Dungca
Chareese Lazaga
Chlaryze Mae Santos
Eitmam Chowdhury
Phil Gases
Simon Necesito
Jerae Oronigo
Josh Villagomez
Christine Elchico
