It can sometimes feel like everyone around us lives in an interconnected world of quick, trendy and instant content where the algorithm reigns supreme. In the race to consume your screen time, TikTok stands above all other platforms — a paradigmatic symbol of the social media craze. TikTok’s place at the top has been threatened, however, as President Joe Biden recently signed a bill that would ban the app unless it is sold to a government-approved firm. Despite its controversy, this ban is a step in the right direction.
The TikTok ban is the product of national security fears. The app’s Chinese ownership has led to concerns that the Chinese government can use it to influence the content seen by American TikTok users. These concerns are well-founded; analysts have found it likely that TikTok’s algorithm has been trained to suppress videos and content that does not align with the geopolitical interests of the Chinese Communist Party. This, along with questions regarding the app’s data intake and the safety of that information in the hands of a company owned by a hostile nation, has led to bipartisan support for a TikTok ban.
Reactions to the ban have been mixed, with many young people coming to the app’s defense. They see TikTok as a place to participate in trends, different communities and other aspects of life relevant to contemporary culture; the ban threatens to take it away from them. Furthermore, social media has assisted in making news regarding politics and current events more accessible to young people. This age group’s constant social media usage has created what many describe as the first “digital native” generation.
As long-term social media use becomes more normalized, psychologists have studied its negative effects on the brain, of which there are many. In 2023, the United States Surgeon General released a national advisory about how social media affects youth mental health, suggesting that the incessant use of these platforms is correlated with increased rates of depression and anxiety. Additionally, psychologists are beginning to recognize how high amounts of time spent online can lead to low self-esteem, sexual frustration and body image issues. These byproducts of the digital norms surrounding beauty and character are unrealistic and unattainable and contribute to rising rates of suicide among young people.
With the consequences of constant social media usage only now becoming clear, the government’s efforts to regulate and control the field make sense. While they have long promised to create a more connected world, social media platforms like TikTok have actually created the opposite. People now feel more isolated than ever before, and this lack of social interaction has created a generation with the highest rates of social anxiety in history. While these apps may be social in nature, many fear that high amounts of screen time have created a generation of individuals incapable of in-person interactions, confrontations and relationships.
Many of the issues associated with TikTok have been blamed on the app’s unique and mysterious algorithm. Its effective programming allows each user’s feed to be personalized with striking accuracy. This accuracy can foster user dependency on the app, perpetuating a cycle of increased consumption — taking place, for young people, during some of the brain’s most crucial development periods. In fact, many users are now beginning to exhibit symptoms associated with addiction.
Considering the sharp increase in mental health issues associated with the digital world, it has become evident that something must be done about social media. Its benefits are not to be understated; social media has facilitated vast communication and allowed people to experience a wide array of identities and information. However, it is clear that if we hope to raise a healthier, less socially anxious generation, we must assess the extent to which we will allow social media to dictate our lives. While the government’s fears over national security are valid, banning TikTok would yield the more important benefit of allowing young people to lead safe and healthy lives — a step toward a healthier generation.
Mateo Alvarez is an Opinion columnist. He is studying Political Science and is interested in analyzing the crossing points between politics and culture, and can be reached at mateoalv@umich.edu.
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