There’s no doubt that in today’s world, social media isn’t just a place to share funny videos or dance trends like it maybe used to be. It’s become a battleground for politics, power, and influence. A tool to control, manipulate, and coordinate.
As a 16-year-old growing up in a hyper-connected world, I’ve seen firsthand how platforms like TikTok shape culture, spread information, and even drive activism. But as the U.S. and other countries move to ban TikTok over national security concerns, I can’t help but wonder: is this really about protecting users, or is there something bigger at play?
From an objective standpoint, there’s no denying that TikTok raises valid security concerns. The app, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, collects a staggering amount of data, including user locations, preferences, and contacts. Given China’s strict control over businesses, it’s not far-fetched to worry about the possibility of user data being accessed by the government. In an age where cyber threats are real and data privacy is increasingly fragile, these concerns shouldn’t be dismissed.
Looking beyond data collection though, as it seems to be one of the smaller concerns of most users worldwide, TikTok’s powerful algorithm has the ability to shape what we see, promoting certain narratives while suppressing others. Governments—and even parents—worry that such control over content could be used to influence elections, manipulate public opinion, or even spread misinformation. Looking at the bigger picture, the decision to restrict TikTok does serve a protective purpose. A sort of pseudo-censorship, simply not to outright call it so, to incontrovertible spectacles.
But here’s where things get messy. If national security is the real concern, then why do U.S. social media giants like Facebook and Instagram, which also harvest mountains of user data, not face the same level of scrutiny?
The reality, as controversial as it may seem, is that this issue isn’t just about privacy; it’s also about geopolitics and economic dominance, matters we find prying their way into everything these days.
TikTok’s massive success has put pressure on American social media companies, threatening their dominance in the digital market—a fact they simply cannot dismiss.
Needless to mention that governments, particularly the U.S., have a history of using security arguments to justify actions that align with their economic and political interests. It’s a pretty simple chain reaction: banning TikTok weakens China’s grip on global digital influence, opening the door for American tech companies to rise. With China’s influence fading, U.S. platforms gain market share. More growth means stronger data security measures, shifting control back to domestic hands. As the digital landscape reshapes to favorable conditions for some, global regulations tighten, making it harder for foreign platforms to dominate.
The timing of these bans, especially during periods of rising U.S.-China tensions, makes it hard to ignore the bigger picture even if some call it a sort of “conspiracy.” Which brings us to an even more relevant question about the differences by which each country deals with Internet control.
As most might’ve noticed, the increasing divide in how different nations regulate the internet, highlighted by even a demarcation of influencers within the platform, is prominent.
While some countries are actively trying to ban these apps, others restrict access, and other others don’t even care.
We’re moving toward a fractured digital world. This affects not just corporations but also ordinary people like me, like you, like any of us users who have grown up with social media as a consistent companion.
I won’t pretend to have all the answers. My knowledge mainly resides within my closeness to the issue. On one hand, the ban on TikTok is justified in terms of data privacy and national security. On the other hand, it’s hard to ignore that this decision also serves economic and political interests. What’s clear to me is that as governments tighten their grip on digital spaces, the real question we should be asking isn’t just about TikTok. It’s about who gets to control the internet and what that means for the future of free speech, innovation, and global connectivity.
So yes, while the TikTok ban may have real benefits, let’s not be naive. It’s not just about security; it’s about power. And in the ever-growing digital world, power is everything, right?
However now, from a subjective standpoint, do I believe the TikTok Ban was a good choice?
The straightforward answer is yes. Care enough to know why?
Here’s the thing: Yes, the government—the entire world—does have a bigger agenda. But are we going to ignore the good side out of spite?
As a teenager, I’ve seen countless of my peers rely entirely on social media—namely TikTok and Instagram—as a primary source of information. How crazy is that? Do we really want to live in a time where “research” means scrolling until the algorithm agrees with you? Are we okay with a world where “I saw it on TikTok” is now considered a research method?
I’ve had classmates and friends tell me Google feels too “old” for them, that it was reserved for adults. When has looking for proper sources by doing research, reading articles, and taking notes gotten an age restriction? TikTok is obviously not credible, and it’s definitely not trustworthy. It’s nothing but a platform for a plethora of people from various backgrounds to share their two cents on this or that subject after all. I can already see the “Google is just the same” claims coming, so let me further explain why they’re wildly different.
While TikTok offers an engaging, quick-glimpse view of information, it falls short when it comes to authentic cogency. Unlike Google, which directs users to reputable sources, peer-reviewed journals, and detailed articles, TikTok’s content is often created by everyday users without the same level of expertise or apprehension that professionals—published on Google—have. Not to mention the glaring absence of thorough fact-checking. The videos are also brief and typically lack the context necessary for a scrupulous grasp of a topic, which ultimately leads to misunderstandings or straight-up misinformation.
Evidently, Google also requires a certain level of inspection and investigation when it comes to research. Misinformation can be found anywhere, but there’s no doubt that a carefully conducted indagation on Google is far more sustainable than..scrolling. Peer-reviewed doesn’t translate to “a lot of people liked it.”
And if we must, I highly doubt anyone opposed to this idea tries to check whether the supposed “professionals” on TikTok—would it be medical, literary, educational…—they acquire information from, are really professionals.
Over and above that, this issue extends beyond informative deception—it’s about what TikTok is doing to our ability to think, to question, to engage. And before you start thinking I’m a grandpa shaking his fist at technology, I want you to take a moment to ponder and reflect: why do you choose TikTok or Instagram over Google? Why is it more appealing to you?
Instead of researching, reading, and analyzing different sources, people now default to a 30-second clip from a random creator with no credentials, and that becomes their “fact.” And even if it’s wrong, it sticks. Why? Because it’s easy. Scrolling requires no effort, no engagement, no thought. The human brain thrives on challenge and intellectual effervescence, but these brain drain lanes have turned learning into a passive experience. It spoon-feeds half-baked information, making people feel informed without actually knowing anything. A proper Google search? That forces you to compare perspectives, sift through sources, and actually form your own opinion before hearing someone else’s. But with TikTok, you’re not thinking—you’re consuming. Worse: You’re absorbing. Even subconsciously, your perspective is being shaped by whatever the algorithm decides to throw at you that day. It’s a dangerous cycle, one that rewards passivity over curiosity, and the scariest part? Most people don’t even realize it’s happening.
In conclusion, this girl here—well aware of the global bigger-picture agenda—firmly believes that banning TikTok really wasn’t that bad of an idea. Maybe Social Media really is the problem to more than we might think. A lot. More.