The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would ban the popular social media app Tik-Tok if its Chinese parent company does not sell the app.
Since the news broke, many politicians and experts have weighed in on the issues surrounding Tik-Tok and its potential threats to national security.
But WCMU's Scott Rechlin wanted to learn what users of the app think about the potential ban and took the streets of Central Michigan University to speak with students.
Interview Highlights
On freedom of expression
Personally, I love using Tik-Tok as like my personal life diary...it's like an outlet for a lot of us to express ourselves...Let's keep our freedom of expression to be allowed, especially for so many people in my generation, so many young people.Riley Ladd
On the potential precedent this bill could set
I think this bill is a slippery slope for giving our government maybe too much power in dictating what to do with business. And I think there could be a lot of problems associated with that.Larry Leopons
This transcript has been edited for transparency and length.
Riley Ladd: Well, I think that TikTok honestly allows so many people, especially my generation, to have like a freedom of expression. Personally, I love using TikTok as like my personal life diary and I'll post like a lot of things on there that I'm feeling or thinking and a lot of people I know will also post things on there. It's like an outlet for a lot of us to express ourselves. I think it's a stupid dispute in my opinion that this is happening. Like let's keep our freedom of expression to be allowed, especially for so many people in my generation, so many young people.
Mark Norden: TikTok being singled out for this when companies like Meta who are doing the same thing as TikTok, just maybe not with ties of the Chinese government, is very odd. TikTok is one of the main modes of communication for young people, especially for young activists. I think in the minds of a lot of people who want to ban TikTok, it's a way to more control where people are going to be protesting, organizing, spreading information.
My name is Larry Leopons: I think this bill is a slippery slope for giving our government maybe too much power in dictating what to do with business. And I think there could be a lot of problems associated with that. I don't personally care too much about my data being used. I do recognize the problems with it, definitely on a bigger scale, maybe we're entering a point where the government does need to step in and do something about it. It's just new territory. Social media has really only exploded over the last like 15 years.
