What a TikTok Ban Means for College Students in the US
A TikTok ban could disrupt college students who capitalize on content creation for financial stability and free speech.
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TikTok faces a pressing deadline this January 19th to either sell its US operations or shut it down. With no prospective buyer at ByteDance's alley, considering its alleged link to China, it seems the first option is a TikTok ban in the US.
For college students, a TikTok ban in the US will mean bracing for a negative impact on their social media engagement, free speech, and content creation for millions. Almost 150 million people in the country will be affected, with the majority of those being college students. While some argue that it is needed for national security, others worry about the implications on free speech and the creator economy.
Dartmouth shared that its students and professors are wrestling with the constitutional implications of the TikTok ban. Government professor Sonu Bedi challenges the Supreme Court's decision, especially whether TikTok constitutes a public forum for free speech. If it does, shutting down the platform could directly interfere with Americans' ability to express themselves.
However, students like Mollie Berry counter that the ban won't substantially infringe on free speech since there are so many other alternative platforms for public discourse.
Cybersecurity expert Sergey Bratus comments that ByteDance might be forced to share user data with the Chinese government, thus raising concerns over privacy and potential misuse of data.
Read more: US Catholic University Students Charged for Beating a Man They Falsely Accused as a 'Predator'
College Content Creators
From another angle, a ban on the social media platform could severely disrupt the creator economy, worth more than $250 billion.
TikTok is home to millions of creators, most of whom are collegiate students, per Duke Chronicle. Student creators at Duke University spoke about the potential shutdown and its impact. Content creators such as Natalia Hauser and Allison Chen, who focus on lifestyle and cooking niches, say that migration to other platforms is possible but would be difficult and expensive.
The ease of the interface, algorithm, and the community's support are what make creators successful on TikTok. For student creators, who make their income almost solely off TikTok, this could mean a huge blow to their finances—after all, many pay part of their tuition through their content. While some are prepared for the shift, others may have a tougher time adapting and, subsequently, might leave the space.
However, there is a silver lining: the ban could help bring content creation to be recognized as real work, thereby bringing more respect to the value that creators add to the digital economy.
Whether it's final or not, the ruling on the TikTok ban will be one of the defining moments in determining the future of social media and its role in national security as well as in the lives of millions of college students across the US.
