TikTok has become a part of many teenagers ‘ lives, whether it’s for following the latest trends, learning new things, or expressing themselves. This app is a big part of this generation, and it is an outlet for teenagers to connect to others who are interested in the same things they are. What does this mean for the students at Spring Valley High School? 

“Students would have a harder time knowing what is going on in the world because most people don’t like paying attention to the news, kids especially,” said student Hannan Tullu.

 Although the news provides important information, instead of relying on traditional news, teens turn to TikTok for updates on current events, trends, and social problems. 

“We get to interact with other people about the stuff happening in our world. I think that adds to the platform,” adds Hannan Tullu

Though this is a big part of the app, many other aspects draw teens to the platform, which would make it difficult to let go of.

For many students, TikTok has become a part of their identity, it is a means of expression. Some students even use the app to spread awareness for things they are passionate about. As the debate about the potential TikTok ban continues, it’s very clear that for the students who attend Spring Valley would be losing an app that goes beyond entertainment, it would affect their ability to voice their opinions and spread messages that matter to them.

“I think as a system we kind of have to embrace the positive aspects,” said Computer Science teacher Micheal Miller.

You know, sometimes attention spans aren’t as strong as they were before TikTok,” said Cybersecurity teacher Johnathan Conaty. “But I think they’d be losing the opportunity to learn about different subjects or interests that they may not have known about.”

For many students, TikTok is more than just a friend; it’s a tool for learning and expression and an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. Banning many students would take away their opportunity to grow in different ways as students and as people.

  Students have discussed the positive effects of the TikTok ban. “If anything, this ban would positively affect the mental health of students,” said student Logan Oram. I think it would allow them more time for school work and not put so much time or pressure into social media,” he adds.

These concerns of shortened attention span and many other concerns are not to be ignored or discarded. Some of these downsides can be seen with our very own students at Spring Valley High School, like previously said some students agreed it would be hard to give up tik tok and This is joined with the fact that many students find it hard to go all day without TikTok which can be seen as a distraction in many classes throughout the school day.

Another major issue is the spread of misinformation. While TikTok provides a space for important conversations, it can also be used to spread false information rapidly. Many teenagers get their news directly from the app without fact-checking. This can alter teenagers’ opinions of important conversations regarding worldly problems.

Many problems need to be addressed, Many students agree that if the app were to be banned, they would have lost more than gained because of the connection a majority of people have formed with the platform, making it hard to let go of.