highj4@lopers.unk.edu

As many people know, TikTok has been a topic of controversy in the United States recently. With concerns over data privacy and national security, there have been talks of a potential ban on the app in the U.S.  

TikTok is a popular social media app that allows users to create and share short videos. The app’s analytics reveal that there are over 150 million users in the United States. 

According to CBS News, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew’s testimony before Congress on Thursday appears to have done little to allay Washington’s concerns about whether the social media platform poses a threat to Americans’ privacy and to national security. In five hours of grueling bipartisan questioning, lawmakers seemed skeptical that the app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, could be made safe for domestic users.” 

With all the uncertainty of whether TikTok will continue to be available in the United States or not, I figured I should point out some pros and cons that have come with this powerful app. 

Pros of TikTok: 

• Businesses are able to enhance their brand identities. It’s clear that a presence on the app provides for ample opportunity for growth in brand identity and the ability to connect with a large audience.
• It offers great potential for making new friends and forming new connections. This platform has millions of users worldwide, so it can also be great for inclusiveness.
• It provides easy-to-use video creation tools that blurred the line between creator and consumer far more than YouTube had ever managed.
• It allows users to be creative and offers earning potential at any age.
• It’s just fun.

Cons of TikTok:

• Children, teens and young adults can potentially be exposed to sexual predators on the app. While the ​platform is working hard​ on these issues concerning sexual predators reaching out to underaged kids, this issue is still prevalent on TikTok.
• It can harm an individual’s privacy. Generally, teens and young adults aren’t aware of ​the privacy concerns​ that come with putting their lives on display for others.
• Users are prone to receiving negative comments. Negative comments can severely impact one’s self-esteem and confidence, and even result in self-harm or body image issues.
• The biggest concern for the FBI and the United States Government: ByteDance could share TikTok user data such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers with China’s authoritarian government.

Personally, I am an avid TikTok user, and I would be really sad to see it go away. It has grown to be one of the most popular apps in the world for obvious reasons. However, the safety and privacy of American citizens is much more important than the silly videos we have grown to love.