Gen Z has a love-hate relationship with TikTok. The app is undeniably popular, especially among young people, and it’s been at the forefront of trendsetting in the past few years. At the same time, TikTok isn’t immune to criticism — whether it be about how the app has shortened attention spans or concerns about national security. And now, as many TikTok users find themselves considering leaving the app in 2026 — I find myself feeling justified. It seems I was right to steer clear of the social media juggernaut all these years. And if you’re planning to let go of the app (for whatever reason!), I’m happy to share the upsides I’ve found from staying away.
My relationship with social media has always been complicated. My parents were strict about it while I was growing up, so I didn’t join any form of social media until partway through high school. I started with Instagram in 2022 (which I’ve posted on exactly eight times in four years). Once college started, I begrudgingly joined Snapchat to keep in touch with my roommates. And now, as a journalism student and working journalist in 2026, I’ve had to create LinkedIn and Facebook accounts —if only to reach more sources and find professional opportunities. So, as much as my parents protected me, the 21st century has forced me to become more and more digitally accessible — something I’m honestly not thrilled about.
I get the perks. I love sending my friends “your month, your xyz,” Reels on Instagram, and I unironically enjoy YouTube Shorts. I can appreciate that LinkedIn is seeking to bridge the generational gap in the workplace by combining aesthetic posts with professional content — something I find legitimately useful. I think Facebook Groups have the potential to be wonderful by uniting a diverse group of people through common interests. And Snapchat is… IDK, great at marketing? (I mean, the company is managing to get people to pay $3.99 a month for “Premium” features — that’s not nothing.)
There’s only one mainstream app I’ve managed to — somewhat miraculously — avoid entirely. Yep, it’s TikTok.Â
My resistance to TikTok has always been less about the app and more about what the app represented: an increasing lack of privacy in the modern world. You would think that the more social media I was forced to use and engage with, the lower my resistance to social media would become. In reality, though, the more I am forced to put myself online, the more committed I am to keeping some things just to myself.Â
There are moments and memories with my friends, my family, and my fiancĂ©e that I feel should belong solely to me. Not because these moments aren’t beautiful and photo-worthy, but because they are so precious that I don’t want to risk turning them into a performance to be consumed by nameless, faceless strangers behind a screen. If I want to share, then I will share with people I am comfortable with in a forum that is safe and private.Â
Beyond worrying about acquaintances or randos on the internet, as employers increasingly search for candidates online and run social media audits, I’m even more hesitant to open up on public platforms. I’d rather not bare my soul on social media and risk a hiring manager judging me solely based on that. I’d rather they have to talk to me as a person rather than use my social media to speak for me.Â
And now, following TikTok’s transfer to U.S. ownership and the subsequent fears and rumors about political censorship, algorithm control, and concerns about data and privacy use, I’m more and more relieved that I’ve held part of myself back from social media. I couldn’t have known this would be the app’s future when I decided not to join years ago when all my friends were, but to me, it paid off nonetheless. Even assuming these concerns are appropriately addressed and dealt with, I don’t foresee a world in which I ever give in to the allure of TikTok. If anything, this situation is an encouragement for me to pull back from the internet even further, because, when it comes down to it, it will always be a better decision for me to choose my privacy — and my peace — over the potential benefits of any social media platform. If you choose to leave TikTok — or any social media platform, for that matter (I hear digital detoxes are in!) — maybe you’ll find that’s true for you too.