Time's up

History was made this Wednesday. The United States House of RepresentativesThe lower chamber of the United States congress. There are 435 representatives, with a certain number allocated to each state based on the state's population. has voted to ban the social media app - unless the company that owns it sells it off.

TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. American lawmakers worry that the app is a threat to national security.¹ 

They argue that data gathered from its 170 million users could be used by the Chinese government to spy on Americans. They also think the app could spread propagandaInformation, which may be biased or misleading, used to promote a certain viewpoint. by controlling what Americans see. TikTok deny these accusations.² 

The bill won by a landslide: 352 voted in favour to 65 against. It will now head to the SenateThe upper chamber of the Congress that - along with the US House of Representatives (lower chamber) - comprises the legislative branch of the US government. Each of the 50 US states is equally represented by two senators, regardless of its population size., who will debate and amend the bill. If it passes there, president Joe Biden will approve it.³ 

Even if the bill does not enter law, it represents a turning point. Today, social media looks like the most powerful force in the world. Apps like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter shape how people receive news, frame their lives and interact with the world.

This week, government struck back. The move against TikTok shows that law-makers are willing to attack social media when they feel it is a threat.

Security is the official reason for the ban. But there are also larger forces at work. Many countries are becoming more nationalistA person who believes strongly that their country is better than all others. . Fears about foreign interest are growing. This week, for instance, the UK government announced it would ban other countries from owning newspapers.

There is alarm about TikTok's ability to spread fake news. According to CNN, "TikTok's search engine repeatedly delivers misinformation".

It might also affect our brain. One study found that TikTok users are more likely to have low attention spans, be easily distracted and unable to focus on tasks.

Others say the app has unleashed a torrent of creativity. Its format has seen millions of people experiment with film-making. TikTokers have created quirky mini-documentaries, clever parodiesImitations of a situation or famous person, often intentionally exaggerated. of filmmakers and nightmarish "analog horror" shorts.⁴ 

And for some it has offered a livelihood. More than seven million American businesses market through TikTok. Researchers found it supported at least 224,000 American jobs. Banning it would make these people jobless.

Would you miss it?

Yes: TikTok offered something new to social media: a wave of brilliant short videos that allowed users to develop their creativity. If the app was banned we would lose something vital.

No: TikTok was born in 2016. Its lifespan is a mere drop in the ocean of human experience. Like MySpace, Vine and Snapchat, it will quickly be forgotten and replaced by something else.

Or... All signs point to the app's decline. Its membership has aged and flatlined. Early adopters have slammed its recent focus on sponsored products. TikTok might be abandoned before it is banned.