TikTok ban exposes wide-spread social media dependence

Image by: Nelson Chen

The TikTok ban makes us reflect on our social media use, or lack thereof, for the better.

The recent United States TikTok ban forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: the repercussions of social media go far beyond simple trends.

As a Canadian, the threat of an eventual TikTok ban in the US always felt distant to me. That is, until my own TikTok account went dark during the Jan. 19 TikTok ban. While I’m not anti-TikTok by any means, this brief absence revealed just how addictive the platform can be, even for those who don’t consider themselves heavy social media users.

TikTok—a popular short-video-based social media app—has already been banned from government devices in Canada, as national leaders express their concern over the app’s presence. US President Donald Trump—who called for the ban during his first administration—signed an executive order granting TikTok’s parent company a 75-day extension to find a suitable buyer before terminating use of the platform for good.

For those who rely on TikTok for income, its loss has serious implications. Even a short period without it highlighted how deeply embedded the app has become in daily routines. Visible responses to the ban were shockingly concerning.

TikTok influencers begged fans to follow them on other platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. Reactions from notable creators like Alix Earle echo the desperate co-dependent connection between users and the app.

It was only in the face of losing TikTok entirely that I took a step back and began noticing the positive changes I felt in its absence.

For students who have a seemingly never-ending mountain of daily tasks, attention spans are instrumental to having optimal function. However, since the emergence of social media, experts have cautioned against their detrimental impacts on the developing brain.

Aside from research showing the effect of TikTok use on depression and stress, TikTok itself is designed to entrap people in an addictive echo-chamber—presenting users with short, curated and limitless videos. While most trends across the app are relatively harmless, the turnaround of these trends mirrors users’ attention spans: rapid, incomplete, and often thoughtless.

For many, the app is a fun, creative outlet and the easy fix to free time. Students need to confront the magnitude of TikTok’s negative effects, many of which they may not even realize.

Yet, alternatives that fill free time and healthily stimulate the brain exist in abundance.

Opting for physical creative outlets, reading books, or even TV shows, eliminate the fast-paced, dopamine-driven environment of TikTok. Instead, research shows these changes strengthen the brain’s neural pathways, which is shown to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. We may not like it, but all the benefits that experts claim come with stepping away from social media ring true.

While an outright ban on TikTok may seem extreme, this experience serves as a catalyst for introspection and transformation. It’s a reminder to evaluate the seemingly unbreakable grip social media has on us, and the implications of its influence seeping into common society.

Jaya is a second-year Psychology student and one of The Journal’s Business, Science, & Technology Editors.

Tags

addiction, Social media, social media use, TikTok

All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Skip to content