Algonquin College students react to threat of TikTok ban in U.S.

Algonquin College students are conflicted on TikTok’s ban in the United States, acknowledging the positives and the negatives of the platform.

After an extensive dispute concerning TikTok’s data-gathering practices, the app was banned on Jan. 18 in the United States.

“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S.,” a message from the app said. “Unfortunately that means you can’t use TikTok for now.”

The ban faced backlash on social media, and the app was available in the United States on the next day. U.S. President Donald Trump on his first day in office signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban for 75 days.

The TikTok ban doesn’t apply north of the border, but the Government of Canada last November ordered the “wind up” of the social media company’s Canadian business. The government didn’t block Canadians’ access to TikTok.

In light of the ban in the U.S., the Algonquin Times was curious how students’ life would change if they could no longer use TikTok.

Students were open about their frequent usage of the app, but they were indifferent to the ban.

For Flo Muka, a business student, TikTok is another social media platform that can be replaced. He said he is on TikTok for two hours a day, but if it were to be banned, he would easily switch to an alternative, such as YouTube Shorts.

“Not life changing. You move on,” he said.

Others find TikTok’s entertainment hard to replicate.

“I would have nothing to do honestly, because when I’m not studying, what I’m doing is watching TikTok when I can’t sleep,” said Melody Clifton, a nursing student.

Clifton does not like using other social media apps, such as Snapchat and Instagram. “I’d probably just watch more TV,” said Clifton.

For a few students, the app keeps them updated and informed.

“Honestly, I use it most days. I find I do learn a lot of information on that, just being on general news,” says Owen Ehrl, a first-year accounting student. “I think I would lose out on a lot of information and knowledge. But also, it could help me be more productive because I do find that I end up scrolling a lot.”

Aruzhan Tazhigaliyeva expressed a similar sentiment.

“If it did get banned, it would cut off my main source of information,” she said.

Some students reported rarely using the app, but they questioned the U.S. ban from an ethical standpoint.

“I don’t use TikTok at all but I’m against a ban. It’s some North Korea-type censorship,” said Kiernan Grand, a scriptwriting student.

Grand called the ban “scary” for those working in media, such as himself.

“I would have more free time to do hobbies, (but) I would be upset. It feels controlling,” said Bella Nuzzi, a nursing student.

“I know that it was owned by a Chinese company and that it could pose a security risk. I know it was banned on government devices but I find issue with banning TikTok on personal devices,” said Nuzzi.

TikTok has been in hot water with the U.S. government since February 2019, when they had to pay a $5.7 million settlement on federal allegations of violating U.S. child-privacy laws.

In April 2024, former president Joe Biden signed off on a bill giving the social media platform an ultimatum: either sell to a U.S. owner or the app would be banned in the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the ban on Jan. 17, 2025.

Contributors to this story: Skyla Murray, Duncan Roi, Hau Ting Ng, Joshua Peachey-Leigh, Ève Bélanger, Delaney Smith, Nathan Heatherington, Gavin Oregan, Nicklaus Korim, Jack Beeston, Bradley Richards, Lara Simard, Marcos Somarriba-Castillo, Elyse Barker, Kendra Mendrisky, Kevin Clasper-Inglis and Vasileios Tslelios