To think the US TikTok ban is a good thing?

[AndareVeloce]

Interested to get people's perspectives on this, as it looks like TikTok is increasingly likely to be banned in the US after this weekend. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/17/supreme-court-tiktok-ban

I'm British, but I wouldn't be against our Government taking a similar approach. I know a lot of people will claim it's infringing on freedom of speech etc, but overall I feel TikTok has been a net negative for the internet. Well known how disastrous it is on people's attention span (brain rot), so much disinformation shared on it etc.

What do you think?
YABU - TikTok ban is a bad thing
YANBU - TikTok ban is a good thing and should happen in the UK

I don’t think it’s better or worse than any other social media app, tbh. Also they’re not banning it because it rots people’s brains (which is the case for all social media), they’re banning it because they’re worried about the Chinese using it to ‘spread propaganda’ in the US. If it was owned by a western company they wouldn’t give af.
I’m sure a new app will come along and take its place as the most popular for young people, and be similarly brain-rotting.

I don't like the idea of the government interfering like this.

No it's not a good thing. Why are the US banking TikTok? Because they are worried about the algorithm and fear that people may be 'indoctrinated' by anti American content. Unlike X and Meta, they don't have control of it. For all their talk of free speech, what they mean is free speech that fits with their narrative.

I do agree that social media in general has an adverse impact on mental health, but banning TikTok isn't the answer.

TikTok has a weird hold on people. If they see some advice on there, it's taken as gospel. I work in Financial Services and the sheer number of posts with shocking recommendations is quite scary. I don't know any other app which works in quite the same way.

I think it’s a crazy way of controlling people. Massive state interference.

dont kid yourself its to ban the spread of information, you might as well ban the internet. Or certainly X.

People will just move to Red Note instead.

Something new will just take it's place.
It's pointless banning it really.
There's plenty of other things like guns they could be banning.

It's my understanding that the app will still be available to existing users, until such a time as it becomes obsolete because they won't be able to download updates. So the "ban" is pointless.

You could say the same about mumsnet users

TikTok's CEO Shou Chew is due to sit in pride of place at Trump's inauguration on Monday, along with other tech gurus.

Now what? Seeing as it's banned.
Supreme Court says no appeal, Trump says it's up to him.

It's American cultural imperialism. cf the Gulf of America. As opposed to Greenland which could be real imperialism.

I read that The CEO of TT has said if the ban goes ahead they'll switch the app off on Sunday & it'll be unusable in the US

All the Americans are downloading something called RedNote I think which is Chinese.

I think tiktok is one of the worst actually.

Im not for banning things but that platform is dangerous. I won’t be that sad.

It is absolutely not OK, state interference is an awful slippery slope and noone should want this level of policing.

What’s next? You give an inch, they will take a mile.

How is it dangerous or any more dangerous than any other platform? The content you see on your fyp is based on an algorithm from your personal interests so if your viewing dodgy content then that's down to you.

Not really. The posts on here aren't 20 second ads for investment apps disguised as "hacks" to grow your savings.