Starting as early as 2020, TikTok has always been under the watchful eye of American politicians. Seen as a threat to national security, many advocated for the removal of the app to ensure America remains secure.

On Jan. 19, 2025, the Supreme Court officially banned the app, stating it must be sold to an American company if it wanted to continue having users in the US.

This ban would affect many. From high schoolers to business owners, the ban would significantly shift daily lives and incomes.

“Tiktok is the best. I discovered some great things there, like songs, creators, recipes, and fashion,” explains Junior Maddy Zeitlen.

“Me and everyone else on the app lost a source of entertainment and community engagement,” says Junior Kamryn Smith.

However, it was only a short 12 hours before the app was back up and running. TikTok released a statement saying how grateful they were for such a swift resolution. 

This was a shock to everyone, including Junior Grayson Barrett. 

“I’m confused why they caused this whole ordeal of getting it banned–all the reminders and messages to the whole US–just to bring it back in less than 24 hours,” she describes.

With a huge buildup of drama resulting in such a quick turn of events, many began to question the true purpose of the ban. 

“There is a social experiment aspect of it to me. It sounds like the corporations wanted to see how a mass number of people would respond to a massive influence and a driver of our society being taken away,” explains Junior Olivia Commissariat. 

TikTok being banned, even for just a short time, showed us a small glimpse into how big daily life would’ve changed. The ban highlighted how deeply integrated social media is in communication and entertainment, making the loss of the app a wake-up call for those who rely on the app daily. In the end, the brief disruption revealed the extent to which we have digital dependency, highlighting how profoundly social media is shaping modern culture.