On Saturday, January 18, I sat with my friends as our nightly TikTok scroll simultaneously ended. We refreshed the app and opened it once again, to find a message reading that TikTok was no longer available in the US. We all looked at each other as if we had just lost something that meant so much to us.Â
Although the TikTok ban lasted a mere 15 hours, it prompted me to reflect on the impact this app has had on all of our lives, and the ways in which our lives could honestly improve with its absence.Â
Since I downloaded the TikTok back in 2019, I have spent countless hours watching video after video. My time on TikTok has included learning new recipes, dancing with my sister and friends, laughing at relatable clips, and more. Especially in the midst of the pandemic, TikTok provided me a community; any situation I found myself in, there was a video on my For You Page that let me know that I wasn’t alone.Â
While I do attribute my time on TikTok to positive memories and sources of new information that have expanded my knowledge on various topics, when the app shut down “for good,” I couldn’t help but start to think about the ways that the app has taken a slightly negative toll on my day to day life. The hours I spend on the app are typically filled with positive emotions of laughter and joy but maybe, just maybe, these hours could be used to connect with people in my physical surroundings.Â
Social media platforms can bring us plenty of joy, but they also take away from our willingness to participate and engage with face-to-face human connections. We have grown accustomed to a world in which we would rather sit on the couch scrolling than say yes to a spontaneous invitation for a night out. Our nights now end glued on our phones, to videos of people we have never met instead of reading a book or connecting with friends and family.Â
Don’t get me wrong, I love TikTok. The entertainment it has brought me and continues to bring me on a daily basis is something I continue to appreciate. However, I have started to reconsider my time spent on social media and how that time could be used more intentionally.
Even though the ban lasted a mere 15 hours, and I found myself once again scrolling that very night, I have been more intentional when clicking on the app since. I have challenged myself to end my day doing something else; something that is not watching a stranger take me through their day. I encourage you to do the same. The looming TikTok ban may seem scary but maybe it is for the best.