On January 18, 2025, TikTok was temporarily banned in the United States for approximately 18 hours, sparking widespread confusion and debate. The brief shutdown resulted from new federal legislation addressing concerns over data security and the app’s ties to China.
Though the ban was lifted after a few hours, the incident raised important questions about the future of social media platforms and their influence on privacy and national security. Users, especially those who consider themselves “chronically online,” struggled to navigate a day without the app, leading to renewed discussions about the balance between security and free expression.
“I knew that it wasn’t going to be a long time until it was back, so I didn’t really care that much. I figured it was going to be for a short period of time. But to be 100% honest, I did find myself clicking on the app and then getting rejected,” Barret Raines ‘25 said. While the temporary ban might not have felt like a big deal for social media users like Raines, the situation sparked questions about privacy, government control, and censorship. The ban’s timing was significant because social media apps like TikTok have become very important in modern life. TikTok is more than just a platform for trending dance videos – it’s where people share ideas, express themselves and organize movements. It has become a huge part of how young people connect with the world, and, for most, it is difficult to imagine life without it.
Once the app returned, those who had deleted it during the ban could not redownload it, as it had been removed from the app store. There was even a listing on eBay for an iPhone with TikTok downloaded for over $10,000. Many friends would ask to use my phone and scroll through my For You Page on TikTok while they were without theirs for a few weeks. Thankfully, the app has now returned to the app store, making it available for re-downloading again.
However, the government’s concerns over TikTok are not completely fabricated. The debate centers around how much personal data TikTok can gather about American citizens and the government and whether the Chinese government can access that information. In a world where cybersecurity and digital threats exist, it is understandable that the United States government would want to protect its citizens.
As social media continues to shape how we communicate and interact with each other and the world, governments must find a way to protect their citizens without taking away the freedom to express themselves. The 2025 TikTok ban reminds us to be careful not to let security concerns trample our rights to free speech, especially in the digital world, but also to stay safe and smart when putting information onto social media platforms.
