As Jan. 19 comes even closer, and with TikTok’s fate in the United States becoming even more uncertain, people are wondering what the future holds for the way we spend our time on the internet.
The law banning TikTok in America is currently under review by the Supreme Court. If it is passed, the ban would make new updates and downloads through Apple and Google app stores no longer possible, which would lead to degradation of the app, according to USA Today.
Sebastian Holmes, who uses the app daily, says that we will find other ways of getting short-form content into our daily lives. “I think we’ll find other ways, like Instagram Reels, Facebook, YouTube, things like that to just take its place,” he said. “Or maybe they’ll find another app that’s similar, and we’ll do that.”
Other students seem to agree with this idea, like Liliana, another student who frequently uses the app, saying “I feel like we’ll get back. We’ll find some other places to go.”
Some students see the ban through a more positive, health-conscious lens. Dale, a much less frequent user of the app, says that banning TikTok will help him keep off his phone more. “I feel like these days it’s getting harder and harder to put it down,” he said. “I feel like it’ll make me less reliant on my phone.”
On the flip side, some students are more against the ban than others. Sharif, a daily user of the app, says that he doesn’t like the ban, saying it infringes on free speech. “I don’t like banning free speech. That’s like if somebody wanted to get into power and ban Twitter just because Elon got it. You can’t ban free speech just because you don’t like it, I just don’t like that.” He also says that he will miss the app when it’s gone, adding that it was the best combination of all the apps in the market.
The Supreme Court’s final decision has not been announced at the time of publication. Dr. Brett Curry, a political science professor at Georgia Southern, says that most likely the ban will be upheld by the Supreme Court. He says that it is important to remember that the ban was upheld by a court of appeals with both Republicans and Democrats. He says this bipartisan support is most likely to continue into the Supreme Court decision. “It seems most likely that the court is going to uphold the statue as constitutional.”
So, while the future looks dark for TikTok in America, there might still be some bright spots in this story. While the platform may be gone, many others are waiting to take its place, including Instagram and YouTube in America, and RedNote in China. Whatever the case may be, a new chapter is beginning for the world of short-form media.
