The TikTok platform, an app that became popular during the 2020 pandemic but before was originally known as Musical.ly, was recently removed from the App Store and is now unavailable for downloads. Back in March of 2023, during a hearing, a Republic senator spoke on and attacked the owner of TikTok. The Republic senator made racist remarks and it was brought to attention by the Republican senator that the TikTok app could and was a hazard to the security of the country. The Senator believed that the ByteDance owners would steal and take information from United States users that were on the platform and would give that information to the Chinese government.
As a result of fear and concern that the Chinese government would steal information from the U.S., the Biden Administration banned TikTok. The TikTok app ban was to begin on January 19th 2025. Users did not take this ban seriously until on January 18th, 2025, when the app was no longer available on the App Store for downloads. During this time, the app could not be opened and a notification on the screen stated, “A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok right now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Stay tuned!”
The TikTok ban only lasted less than 24 hours. The following morning TikTok users received the following message that read “Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! You can continue to create, share, and discover all the things you love on TikTok.” Although President Trump helped to keep TikTok available for users, the law that bans the TikTok App was not overturned but simply extended for an extra 75 days.
However, even after the ban of the app, the TikTok App is no longer available for downloads through the App Store. Therefore, anyone that deleted the app due to the ban, can no longer access it at all and only those who still have the app downloaded can use it. This ban affects many TikTok creators and small businesses that work through the TikTok Shop section of the app. Today it is common for people to make money through making videos and content on the TikTok app. Small businesses use the app to advertise and promote their products along with selling their products through the TikTok Shop. This is why TikTok needs to be back on the App Store because of its effects towards those that use the App on a daily basis for their successes.
TikTok has become an app where people can help each other and learn new skills. People share activities that they like and teach them to other people through the app, such as learning to play an instrument, crocheting, drawing, or sports. It provides easy access and could be taught through a simple video. TikTok has updated their features and can upload videos that are up to 10 minutes long.
Another example of why TikTok should be brought back to the App store is that people can reach educational content through the app. English and History teachers use the platform to provide students new information and facts online through the app such as how to annotate a text and also provide book summaries. Math teachers use the app to demonstrate new strategies for working with fractions, and for younger kids, multiplication and division help.
People use the app to bring awareness to serious topics as well. There have been cases where important information is reached in different areas of the world, such as when the wildfires took place in Los Angeles, people in other countries learned and passed on the information too.
TikTok is an app most people see as something that simply wastes time, but in reality the app benefits people in a positive way. TikTok is a safe place where students can share ideas and important information and learn new things from each other, along with being able to advertise and sell products for small businesses. Therefore, the app needs to be back on the app store.
