December 20, 2022 Governor Spencer Cox signed an executive order prohibiting government officials in Utah from downloading TikTok onto state-owned devices. Seven other states around the country have done the same. And it is even becoming a subject again in the house and senate, whether or not to ban the app from the United States entirely.
The idea to ban the app from state devices at the very least was started by Senator Hawley of Missouri clear back in 2020, though discussions about banning the app from the United states was started even before that from former President Trump during his term.
Naturally this decision has been greatly opposed by many TikTok spokesmen, including one, Jamal Brown who had this to say: “We are disappointed that many state agencies, offices, and universities that have been using TikTok to build communities and connect with constituents will no longer have access to our platform.”
However, ByteDance, the Chinesen company that owns TikTok, has made known a policy that can force it into handing over private information, intellectual property, and locations of any given user on TikTok.
This is one of the things that has raised the concern for the app, although TikTok is not the only social media app to collect some private information, it is the only one owned by a country not very friendly to our own.
Why I Think Banning TikTok Across the Country Is a Bad Idea
While I approve of the ban as far as our government officials are concerned. I am a little less certain on the idea of having the app banned altogether from our country. I’m not a person who uses TikTok. I have come to the conclusion that it’s not a safe, or private platform. And I am of the opinion that if I can decide that, then so can other people.
I don’t think it would be a loss if we chose as a country to ban it — there are plenty of other platforms we can use that are not as controversial. But I also believe in freedom of choice. I may disagree with others’ decisions, but I can also respect their freedom to choose as long as they respect my own.
Though the issue of banning TikTok across the country will likely be discussed in the future, for now the bill to ban the app from all government devices has passed only the Senate and is now waiting to be signed by President Biden to go into law. Whether he does or not may be an article for another time.
– by Ella Hughes (18) Panguitch
Feature image caption: Utah state officials are now banned from downloading TikTok onto state-owned devices, part of a bigger campaign against the app, which is said to be stealing data, across the country. Courtesy Getty Images.
Ella Hughes – Panguitch
Ella Hughes is a junior journalist and editor at The Byway. She has recently graduated from Panguitch High School and has written for The Byway for two years now. Her favorite topics to write about are history as well as present-day local events. In her free time she enjoys singing, watching movies, reading books, and spending time with her family she adores.
Ella is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is serving in the Philippines Tacloban Mission.