From endless brain-rot content to unlimited accessible knowledge to generating a livelihood for many small businesses, Tiktok is more than an app, it's a pioneer of, and a home for, global digital culture. Its temporary removal in the United States, although only for a few hours, has taken a huge toll on its 170 million US users, in more ways than one. 

When we think of TikTok, we think of teens, Gen Z teens, often stereotyped as never “touching grass” and scrolling on TikTok for hours. But beyond the stereotype of brain-rot content and too much screen time, TikTok and its banning hold a much more significant impact. Here is what some TikTok-using teens have to say. 

Take Audrey Chang,  a Junior in high school who has put the app to many uses. “TikTok was something that I used to be on for several hours at a time every day. I used it as a search engine of sorts, as I would plan my trips with it, look for recipes, academic opportunities, popular trends, and even restaurant recommendations.” 

However, reflecting on a world with no TikTok, Chang said, “I’ll probably take this as an opportunity to focus on academics, but if I'm feeling desperate I'll go on Instagram reels.”

Chang mentioned Instagram reels being an alternative to TikTok, however many other teens have found themselves “refugees” on another platform. 

Junior Cici Zheng said, “I'm probably just going to use xiaohongshu since I’ve been on it already. I feel like the biggest thing for me is that they might ban other Chinese apps like xiaohongshu, and that’s very scary for me because I use it to connect with my culture as a Chinese immigrant, and if they also take that away, I would feel like I'm losing a part of my identity.”

On the topic of losing her identity, Zheng also detailed “ I'm upset that I lost all my videos and stuff because I basically grew up on that app [TikTok] and now I can't look back on it.”

Many teens like Zheng feel like they lost a part of their identity as TikTok was an app they essentially grew up on, serving as a third place, a space beyond home and school where they can find belonging, connection, and understanding.

TikTok has also been a safe space for teenagers who might not have a supportive environment in their home communities. 

Senior Adrian Agular stated “ TikTok had a big impact on my life when I was going through a hard time. My favorite part of TikTok is definitely the algorithm and how they always know what you want to see.”

Similarly, Peter Myers emphasized the joy the app brought, detailing how “My favorite part of the app was always finding funny and relatable videos that’s what kept me coming back.”

Whether that's being a form of entertainment, education, or a comforting place to share a laugh, TikTok has undoubtedly held a significant positive impact on the lives of many teens. 

With that said, Billal Said, a high school senior told us “I think the ban is completely temporary, but while the ban is in place our generation should take advantage of it as a mandatory break from screens.”

Another student agreed, stating “I think it’s sad that social media has become such an unavoidable and addictive part of our lives, so I’m not sorry to see it go, but I think that taking it away in this fashion is a huge infringement on our rights.” 

While the ban has clearly proven itself as temporary, the lasting effects of a ban are very serious, creating a fear of our government trying to take away our First Amendment rights. Many teens were also confused and conflicted as to why the government would do such a thing. 

Senior Adam Alvarado commented “I was mostly confused about why. I found no harm in the app's existence.” Similarly, another student, Calvin, was surprised, remarking “I thought they weren't going to do it because in the past they said they would ban but never followed through.”

Another student elaborated, “ Not only that but the ban suppresses information, news, journalism, press, and violates the 1st amendment.  People need to realize that moving to another platform that has anything to do with Meta (Facebook, or Instagram) is just fueling the oligarchs that have infiltrated their way into the high positions of power in our country.”

Although the ban has been lifted as of Sunday morning, January 19th,  its implications will continue to linger. 

It reminded teens of their reliance on digital platforms and emphasized fears about governmental control over free speech. But amid these challenges, there’s a powerful lesson to be learned.

The temporary ban on TikTok served as a moment to recognize the significance of digital culture in our generation. It raised questions on how to balance our digital lives and find purpose beyond the screen. 

Most importantly, it shined a light on the strength and power of Gen Z, a generation that has not only adapted to a world of apprehension but has thrived by finding ways to connect, create, and express themselves. 

And what is the place to share connection, creativity, and personal expression?

TikTok.