Social Media: TikTok is set to be banned

Social Media: The clock is ticking down on TikTok in America. A law that requires TikTok to find a new, non-Chinese owner or face a ban is scheduled to go into effect Sunday January 11th 2025, and there is little indication the company is set to pull off a sale before then. That means 170 million Americans could lose access to a platform they use to find entertainment, news, community, or even run a business, after TikTok became the first new platform in years to pose a real competitive threat to American social media stalwarts like Instagram and YouTube.

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the law, bringing the ban one step closer. And TikTok itself said, without immediate intervention from the Biden intervention, it would shut itself down on Sunday. TikTok itself turned up the pressure on Friday night, saying it would go dark on Sunday night absent explicit “clarity and assurance” because the statements issued by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining the app’s availability to over 170 million Americans.

Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19th 2025. Experts had expected the app to be removed on Sunday from the Apple and Google app stores, which could face fines under the law for continuing to host TikTok after the deadline. That would mean anyone without the app already on their phones could not download it, but existing users could continue accessing it, without security updates, until it eventually becomes glitchy or stops working.

The Biden Administration feels TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership but plans to leave it to Trump to enforce the ban.

Given the timing of when the ban goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement it. So, users should mentally and emotionally prepare to potentially lose access to the app starting Sunday, unless they want to download a VPN to get around the ban. The central allegation against TikTok is that the company poses a potential national security risk.

United States officials are worried that the Chinese government could pressure TikTok or its parent company, ByteDance, into handing over the personal information of its American users, which could then be used for Chinese intelligence operations or the spreading of Chinese-backed disinformation. There is no evidence yet that that has actually happened. Still, policymakers and security experts have said China’s national security laws make it a possibility, identifying a kernel of risk that fits into a broader anti-China narrative linked to issues including trade, human rights, and authoritarianism.

Those concerns were renewed after a report in 2022 suggested United States user data had been repeatedly accessed by China-based employees. TikTok has disputed the report. In recent years, TikTok says it made changes to how it handles United States user data, including storing it in American-based severs owned by Silicon Valley tech company Oracle. President Joe Biden signed a bill in April 2024 that required the platform to be sold to a new, non-Chinese owner or be banned in the United States.

The law to ban TikTok was widely supported across both sides of the aisle, with the United States House of Representatives approving it with a bipartisan vote of 360-58.

House Republican leadership attached the TikTok bill to funding for Ukrainian military equipment and Israeli missile defense, putting the pressure on Senate lawmakers to consider the whole package in a single up-or-down vote. The bill was then fast-tracked through the Senate, passing less than a week later. The Biden administration ordered all executive branch employees to remove TikTok from their phones within 30 days in February 2023.

Although the idea of a TikTok ban was born during Donald Trump’s first presidency, he has since made a 180-degree turn and said he wants to save the app. Trump had asked the Supreme Court to temporarily pause the ban’s implementation to give him time, as president, to negotiate a sale of TikTok. Trump was weighing whether to delay the ban and preserve Americans’ access to the platform while he works on a deal.

And with some in Congress now suggesting that TikTok might need more time to find a buyer, Trump could find support in trying to push off the ban to a later date. The law gives the president the option to extend the ban by 90 days, but triggering the extension requires evidence that parties working on purchasing have made significant progress, including binding legal agreements for such a deal — and TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, hasn’t publicly updated its stance that the app is not for sale. Even if the TikTok ban does go into effect, a sale of the app to a non-Chinese owner could restore access for United States users.

A group formed by billionaire entrepreneur and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and including “Shark Tank”-famous investor Kevin O’Leary made a formal bid to buy TikTok from China-based ByteDance earlier this month.

The group wants to buy TikTok’s United States assets, albeit without the app’s beloved algorithm — which China has indicated it will not allow to be sold — and rebuild the platform with what they say would be a more transparent feed, and more user control over their data. Chinese officials have also reportedly discussed the possibility of selling TikTok to X owner Elon Musk, whom they might consider the friendliest possible American owner. Musk and ByteDance have not commented on the reports.

TikTok called the reports “pure fiction”. Even if TikTok is sold and Americans can keep using it, it will in many ways be a different app. Because China is almost certain to block the sale of the algorithm along with TikTok’s United States assets, the app’s “For You” feed will have to be rebuilt by the new owner — which will be no easy task. Many tech giants have already spent years trying to replicate the company’s algorithm without quite succeeding.

Spinning off an American-only version of the app could also mean the rest of the world has to download a new app to access United States users’ content. There may be more questions than answers for its users about the app’s future. The company’s United States assets, without the algorithm, are estimated to be worth between $40 billion and $50 billion.

But since the algorithm may be where much of the company’s value lies, putting a firm dollar figure on the company is difficult.

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives. It has revolutionized the way we communicate, socialize, and consume information. However, social media has also been linked to negative effects on mental health, particularly in regards to body image and eating disorders. Body image refers to how a person perceives their physical appearance, while an eating disorder is a psychological condition that involves abnormal eating habits that negatively impact a person’s physical and mental health.

Social media can exacerbate both of these issues by creating unrealistic beauty standards and promoting harmful diet and weight loss trends. Body image issues and eating disorders are complex and multifaceted. Several factors contribute to these issues, including genetics, environment, and psychological factors. People who struggle with body image issues may experience negative thoughts, feelings of shame, and low self-esteem.

These negative feelings can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as restrictive eating, over-exercising, and disordered eating patterns. Eating disorders, on the other hand, involve a range of behaviors that disrupt a person’s eating habits and can lead to serious physical and mental health consequences. These disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Eating disorders can be life-threatening and require professional treatment.

Social media presents a highly curated and filtered view of people’s lives. This curated view can create unrealistic beauty standards and promote harmful diet and weight loss trends. For example, influencers often promote unrealistic body standards by sharing heavily edited photos and promoting weight loss products and diets that are not scientifically proven.

Moreover, social media can create a “comparison trap” where people compare their bodies and lifestyles to others and feel inadequate. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, which can contribute to the development of body image issues and eating disorders. Body dysmorphia is a mental health condition that involves obsessive thoughts about perceived flaws in one’s physical appearance.

Social media can exacerbate body dysmorphia by promoting unrealistic beauty standards and creating a culture of comparison. People with body dysmorphia may spend excessive amounts of time and money on cosmetic procedures or obsessively exercise and diet to achieve their desired appearance. Despite the negative impact of social media on body image and eating disorders, it can also have a positive impact.

Social media can be a platform for body positivity and eating disorder recovery.
Many people use social media to share their recovery journeys and promote body positivity. Social media can also be used to advocate for body diversity and challenge harmful beauty standards. Moreover, social media can connect people with resources and support. Many organizations and support groups use social media to share information and connect with people who are struggling with body image and eating disorders.

There are several ways to promote a positive body image on social media. It is essential to curate your social media feed to include positive and diverse body images. Follow accounts that promote body positivity and challenge harmful beauty standards. Unfollow accounts that promote unrealistic beauty standards or make you feel bad about your body. It is also essential to practice self-compassion and self-care.

Be kind to yourself and prioritize your physical and mental health. Avoid comparing yourself to others and focus on your own journey. Use social media to advocate for body diversity and challenge harmful beauty standards. Share your own story and promote body positivity. Encourage others to embrace their bodies and challenge harmful diet and weight loss trends.

Set limits on your social media use and prioritize activities that promote your physical and mental health.

Take regular breaks from social media to reduce stress and anxiety. Practice mindfulness techniques such as meditation or deep breathing exercises to reduce stress and increase self-awareness. Reach out to friends, family, or a mental health professional for support if you are struggling with body image or eating disorders. Be critical of the content you consume on social media and question the messages it promotes.

Social media platforms and influencers have a responsibility to promote healthy body image and challenge harmful beauty standards. Platforms can implement policies that promote diversity and inclusion and limit the promotion of harmful diet and weight loss trends. Influencers can use their platforms to promote body positivity and challenge unrealistic beauty standards.

For example, Instagram owned by Facebook, provides resources for people struggling with eating disorders and promotes positive body image campaigns. While it can promote harmful beauty standards and exacerbate body dysmorphia, it can also be a platform for body positivity and eating disorder recovery. Remember, you are more than your physical appearance, and your worth is not determined by your body.