TikTok has gained its crown as the most downloaded app on the app store. On Jan. 18, 2025, TikTok had a temporary suspension, and users were not able to access the app. For 12 hours, TikTok users of Eagle High had to find alternatives to fill their boredom.
For many students, this was a tragic event. TikTok is full of videos that fit people’s interests and keep up with their friend’s posts.
According to thesocialshepard.com, “Younger phone users are glued to TikTok for around two hours every day, according to a new study that tracked the screen time of kids from ages 11 to 17.”
For most teenagers, TikTok is an essential on their phone, a way to entertain and pass the time. TikTok can have funny videos, relatable videos or videos about a specific subject. At Eagle High, the ban was a conversation many were talking about, and no one knew if it would actually happen until it did.
“I was kind of sad because I like TikTok,” said sophomore Sloane Leija. “I spend like four to five hours on it every day.”
Not every person spends hours on TikTok every day, but it is very easy to get lost in the scrolling.
The reason the ban happened was because of national security threats, and the government was trying to protect the U.S. They gave the ultimatum that TikTok must be bought by an American company for it to continue running or it would be deleted. Many big companies, including Microsoft, put in offers to save the app.
Leija later explained that the ban would be worse for the country because it’s a fun app and so many people love and enjoy having it.
On the other hand, many students who choose not to have TikTok didn’t have the ban affect them in any way.
“I didn’t care it got banned because I don’t have TikTok,” said sophomore Roman Garcia. “My mom thinks it’s inappropriate, so I’m not allowed to have it downloaded.”
For people who don’t have TikTok, Instagram Reels is a possible replacement. Instagram Reels is very similar to TikTok, with short video clips of any subject. During the TikTok ban, this is an option that many students turned to.
It’s unknown if another ban is in the works, but for now, TikTok is back up and running. There are students who really love TikTok as well as students who couldn’t care less. Either way, the TikTok ban brought lots of discussion throughout the U.S. and Eagle High.
