Ladies and gentlemen, it’s 1:38 a.m., which means the high-stakes competition has officially begun. Each player is locked in a battle of mental stamina, absorbing an endless stream of content. Fifty minutes in, fingers have already started to cramp, requiring each player to reach deep down and turn on their cognitive ability to doom scroll. In this state, many players are usually reenergized by the sight of five BIG booms with just enough to make it till 3:56 a.m. Once the clock strikes 4 a.m., that’s when TikTok throws an unexpected curveball, asking for each player to put the phone down. But you can’t. For many, it’s just too late. Each player is stuck in a brain rot-induced hypnosis and is one scroll away from the sensation of enlightenment. Just as you are about to scroll, your screen freezes. All competition comes to a pause. Phone lights are dimmed, and audios come to a halt as the arena becomes quiet for a moment of silence. TikTok is banned.
“They were banning TikTok on [Jan.]19, and I got a notification on my phone saying TikTok was going to be down until further notice, and President Trump would be working on it as soon as he took office,” Aniya Ruscar (12) said. “I believe the people on TikTok and the government thought we knew too much, and [with] the information we were getting, we were able to spread that information with one another.”
The sudden ban of TikTok left many users scrambling for answers, with reactions ranging from frustration to outright protest. However, beyond the immediate backlash, the ban grew from deeper concerns brewing for months. The controversy was not just about social media — it was about national security, data privacy and tensions between the U.S. and China.
“I personally believe this was something of a power play for America; at least those in government have the power to do something and more of us have to go along with it,” Jonathan Sullivan (11) said. “China has something America doesn’t want China to have … and this is kind of their way of expressing like ‘Hey we’re still the big dogs.’”
While the government cited national security threats as the main reason for the ban, legal experts quickly raised concerns about its constitutionality. Critics argued that banning a widely used platform could violate free speech rights and set a dangerous precedent for digital censorship in the U.S.
“[The ban is] not necessarily [unconstitutional],” Sullivan said. “I’m sure in the past there have been apps, which have been taken down. To my knowledge, people have been punished for what they have said and how they have expressed their opinions … if it’s gone to the ultimate extreme, there hasn’t been any backlash … no ones going to come to my house and arrest me.”
Amid legal battles and public outcry, the situation took a turn when former President Donald Trump, who initially pushed for the ban, allowed TikTok to continue operating. This reversal left many questioning whether the ban had ever been a genuine security measure or if it had been more of a political maneuver.
“I believe it [was a business tactic],” Sullivan said. “Donald Trump is a businessman. I don’t think he would do anything to put himself in a bad position or a position where he would lose supporters.”
The back-and-forth nature of the ban — one moment deemed a threat, the next allowed to continue — made the entire situation feel almost absurd. The irony was not lost on social media users, who turned to humor and memes to process the ever-changing status of the app.
However, while some laughed at the situation, others took a more serious approach, arguing that a TikTok ban might have had unexpected benefits. Supporters of the ban pointed out concerns about data privacy, misinformation and the influence of foreign-owned platforms on American users.
“I believe that especially with the people that are very dependent on TikTok for making money, that would force them to expand outside their box,” Sullivan said. “You know, they would have to look at other social media or get an actual job. I personally don’t think you should be dependent on a single app. You should have a network of ways to get money.”
As the debate over TikTok continued, some users decided to look elsewhere, leading to a surge of interest in alternative platforms. One of the most talked-about options was RedNote, a new app that positioned itself as a fresh, independent alternative to TikTok.
“It was different,” Ruscar said. “It’s not like you scroll on Tiktok; you have to press on different videos. I didn’t like it.”
At first glance, RedNote seemed to offer many of the same features as TikTok — short-form videos, trending challenges and an avid user base. But as people explored the platform, they noticed key differences that set it apart from its predecessor.
“I think [Americans could have made it on the app],” Ruscar said. “Americans, we can do anything we put our mind to. Or just in general, people can do anything they put their mind to.”
For some, joining RedNote was not just about finding a new platform: it was a statement. Many users saw the switch as a way to protest government overreach and demonstrate that social media trends could not be controlled by policy decisions alone.
“We are really opinionated,” Ruscar said. “We don’t really care [what others think]. We are rebellious.”
As the dust settled, the debate over TikTok’s ban left lingering questions. With the app still accessible and alternatives emerging, many began to wonder whether the ban had been necessary at all or simply a political distraction with no lasting impact.
“Personally, I don’t think [banning TikTok should have been a priority],” Sullivan said. “But because there is so much going on in America, [the] economy is really bad [and]crimes going up. I know we have been talking about this for decades, but poverty has been going up, homelessness, starving children in general.There’s many more things with higher priority.”
