What would you do if the TikTok app were deleted from your phone forever?
“I am an avid TikToker,” said freshman Olivia Ford. “I think that it is my most-used social media app, and I am probably on it at least an hour and a half a day. So, if it got banned, I would have been very upset.”
According to Business of Apps, TikTok is a video sharing app that has over 500 million users worldwide. On the app, users can create up to one-minute long videos doing just about anything.
The app is currently owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance. Back in August, President Trump gave the tech company 45 days to sell to a U.S.-owned company or else it would be banned for national security reasons, according to NPR.
“I was actually worried that it would be banned because I’m on TikTok for at least 3 hours a day,” said senior Brigit Kelly.
Whether or not TikTok will be banned from the Apple Store or Google Play in the U.S. is currently being battled in the courts.
A federal judge in Washington, D.C. gave ByteDance more time to get approval from a pending deal that includes Oracle and Walmart, according to The Wall Street Journal.
According to CNBC, the judge did not block a much broader ban that is set to come into effect on Nov. 12 in the U.S. This ban could make TikTok unusable.
“I do not think TikTok is going to last forever. The same thing happened with the app Vine,” said junior Alec Valle. “It got taken over by Instagram and people eventually lost interest. The bigger social media influencers on that app just moved to YouTube and Instagram just like they are planning on doing for TikTok.”
Many Sacred Heart students say that TikTok is their main form of entertainment. While scrolling through the app, users can find anything from cooking videos to DIYs (Do it yourself) to what movie to watch on Netflix.
“I love TikTok, especially the DIYs and the dances,” said junior Abby Radwanski. “They are a real stress reliever for me.”
While some say they are concerned about the potential ban of TikTok, others are unworried by this possibility.
“I deleted TikTok a while ago because it was becoming way too addicting,” said senior Tom Lawless.
TikTok has had a big influence on the media and pop culture. Whether users make their own content or just use the app as entertainment, TikTok is an app that people of all ages can use. Although TikTok is popular, its future is still unknown.
“I like TikTok because it’s a place where people not only post funny videos of dances and funny short clips, but it is also a place where people can share their stories and try to help people through their experiences,” said junior Tori Hanuschak. “It’s unlike any app on the app store right now.”
