In today’s ever-evolving world, the daily life of a high school student is a combination of gaining educational insight while continuing to foster relationships both online and in person. However, with the rise in technology, teenagers in particular have been more prone than ever to intertwine themselves in the loop of social media.

Whether checking how many followers you have, falling victim to the endless page of TikToks, or keeping up with the latest trends, we as a collective society have found ourselves stuck in a digital era controlled by fake news, privacy threats, and especially, data breaches.

TikTok, an app that has almost 1.9 billion users, according to Statistica, has recently been the spark of controversy due to its temporary ban on January 19th, 2025.

As mentioned by CBS News, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was supposedly posing a threat to national security by being involved in various data breaches.

This ban enraged many since some people think of TikTok simply as a platform that helps content creators share their views and lifestyles with the world. This poses the question in our modern society regarding the censorship of media, and if there are any ethical dilemmas associated with this.

AP Government and Politics teacher, Douglas Drummond, believes that there are a few potential concerns that may have driven the calls for a TikTok ban.

“[In terms of freedom of speech], A TikTok ban raises First Amendment concerns, as it would restrict the ability of millions of Americans to express themselves and access information on the platform,” Drummond said.

The banning of TikTok poses several aspects to consider such as the restricted freedom of speech, the safety of national security, and the relevance of data privacy in our digital world.

Social Studies teacher Terry Meyer also has a few concerns when it comes to these issues.

“I think the primary concern is who controls the algorithm. If a foreign company, who must comply with the laws of their country, controls the algorithm that decides what people see [and thus believe], that could then be used against the US,” Meyer said. ”I don’t see this as a limit of speech since there are numerous other platforms where one’s ideas could be expressed. It does seem to me to be a matter of national security.”

Generations X, Z, and Alpha have had strong reactions to this ban. However, this change would significantly impact those of younger generations, as they have been growing up in the digital age.

“A TikTok ban would represent a significant shift in the online lives of younger generations. It would disrupt their social interactions, creative expression, and access to information. It would also have economic consequences for content creators and businesses,” Drummond said. “It is important to remember that younger generations are very adaptable, and would likely find other ways to communicate, and find entertainment. However, a ban would still cause a large disruption.”

Many content creators have worked hard to build their platforms over the years, and this ban may result in a few ethical dilemmas.

“The ethical dilemmas presented by the ban must be weighed out by considering the common good. Is TikTok a threat to national security? If so, this would outweigh any individual concern based on the enjoyment of an app for entertainment,” Meyer said.  “If TikTok is not a threat, then there should be no reason to ban it. However, there should be conversations about the good of social media, in general, specifically about the algorithms that direct engagement.”

While there are several pros and cons to having the popular app banned, we have to consider who is truly being impacted as a result of this. Some pros could include avoiding potential security risks, while cons could include how the careers of many creators would be affected significantly.

All in all, the debate over government censorship of foreign social media platforms such as TikTok is far from easily solvable. Platforms such as TikTok help the public voice their opinions and spread awareness about topics they feel are crucial to be heard. At the end of the day, we as users need to remain vigilant while continuing to have these types of open conversations, ultimately allowing us to help shape the future of technology.