Why We Shouldn’t Ban TikTok

I graduated in 2020 during the height of the pandemic, and as it did for many Gen Z’ers, TikTok became a source of laughter and creativity for me during that time. I didn’t expect, however, how much I would learn during my daily scroll. As a Gen-Z woman of color from a low-income family with limited opportunities, TikTok has exposed me to a world of possibilities because information is so accessible on the platform. Specifically, TikTok has not only deepened my interest in democracy but also shaped my career in politics. So the idea that we should ban such a platform — as many countries, including the United States, have proposed doing — seems shortsighted at best.

I have always been involved in student advocacy and politics, so stumbling upon a TikTok about the importance of redistricting and voting rights piqued my interest. Soon I had a deeper understanding of the impact redistricting has on our communities and how crucial it is to turn out to the polls in local elections. I ordered books recommended by my favorite TikTokers and watched documentaries TikTok exposed me to.

I became so invested in these issues that I began to look for internships where I could become more involved with the work. Within a month, I landed my first post-graduation internship at a democracy nonprofit focusing on redistricting. Then, I applied for a job at the same organization and was able to dedicate my first year as a young professional to an issue I had only learned about four months earlier. It’s not an exaggeration to say TikTok is responsible for my career working on democracy reform.

And I am hardly the only one of TikTok’s 150 million American users who has been able to engage more thoughtfully and intentionally in democracy because of the app. TikTok has become an information-sharing platform and has helped engage young voters. Civic influencers and groups like Voters of Tomorrow, Gen-Z for Change, and Pay Our Interns have all utilized TikTok to mobilize young people and bring their attention to issues like unpaid intern labor and low voter turnout. Other organizations such as Rock The Vote run campaigns on TikTok, like their most recent, urging young people to contact their local congressperson and advocate for H.J.Resolution 16, which would lower the voting age to 16.

Don’t get me wrong: TikTok has its issues. We can all agree that big tech needs to step up and better protect its users and fight misinformation. I am also concerned that U.S. intelligence officials have warned TikTok might be an arm of China. Hours before TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress in March, China’s commerce ministry said it opposes a sale of the app. That makes it more difficult for Mr. Chew to claim he is independent. During his testimony, Mr. Chew also dodged questions about what the app does with users’ data, its ties to China, and how the platform prevents harmful content for children. Those are real concerns.

At the same time, many questions aimed at Mr. Chew were clearly driven by anti-Asian, anti-Chinese sentiment, and xenophobia. During Mr. Chew’s five-hour testimony, he was repeatedly asked about his loyalty to the Chinese government, many lawmakers did not even make an effort to pronounce his name correctly, and after the hearing, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton told reporters that Mr. Chew “should be deported immediately.”

TikTokers responded to the hearings by saying we need more competent and younger people in office. They’re right. There’s also an idea in society that young people aren’t interested in democracy, but it’s not true. Gen Z was pivotal at the ballot box during the 2022 midterm elections. And it blows my mind that thousands of people I’ve never met listen to a podcast that I host about democracy. They’re interested in money in politics, recall reform, language access in voting, and a host of other issues. They give me hope that an equitable democracy is possible in America. I’m not saying TikTok is the only means we can achieve that. But it’s been a big part of what got me where I am today, and I’m grateful for it.