A couple of weeks back, I set aside the weekend for myself to be productive- the tasks left unfinished from the prior week hung over my head, and I went into the new year intending to resolve my laziness. Yet, my books remained unopened on my nightstand, my bedroom floor still untidy and littered with mess, and a bounty of tasks were left unchecked on my to-do list. I look back on that weekend and attribute the whopping 3.5 hours spent on TikTok daily as the source of my inactivity.
As far back as March 2024, when the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that could allow a ban of the popular social media site, TikTok has been brought to the forefront of many people’s thoughts, and various debates about what will become of the app find their way into conversations. As I watched my productivity and creativity dwindle, I started to feel that this ban wouldn’t be so bad.
Though the Supreme Court discussed the ban to address the concern of security threats posed by the app’s Chinese ownership, there are additional benefits to be reaped from the potential ban of the app.
An article from Yale Medicine notes multiple studies that found TikTok to be a cause behind issues in mental health among youths, such as “cyberbullying-related depression, body image and disordered eating behaviors, and poor sleep quality.” Even with these negatives, the app’s strategic algorithm makes it hard to put down for many.
“The infinite scroll and variable reward pattern of TikTok likely increase the addictive quality of the app as they may induce a flow-like state for users that is characterized by a high degree of focus and productivity at the task at hand,” states an article from Brown University. So, even when TikTok has been found to increase stress and lower productivity, its users are drawn in and glued to their feed.
As the conversation about TikTok gets moving, many avid users admit they wish they could get off the app, and would benefit from its removal, forcing them to use their time in other ways.
“Sometimes I almost wish it would get banned, so I could focus on my life more. It’s definitely a distraction,” North Penn junior, Megan Barthelmes, said.
After talking to others about their opinions on the TikTok ban, my own opinion became increasingly clear in my mind: I also wanted to get off TikTok and was hopeful that its removal from my phone would provide some of the benefits I had researched. To find out first-hand how life would be with a ban on the app, I made the commitment to delete the app for a full seven days.
The first day without TikTok stood to show how addicted I had been to the app and hadn’t even noticed. Countless times throughout the day, I reached for my phone without even thinking twice and went to open TikTok like a muscle-memorized habit, and each of those times brought me back into reality, whereas before, I was opening up to spend hours online, completely zoned out. It was in the middle of doing schoolwork, or amid conversations with friends, or while I was reading books that I was reaching for TikTok. This allowed me to reflect on exactly how much TikTok had distracted me from my hobbies, passions, and real life.
Overcoming the compulsion of mindless scrolling was a challenge, but once it had passed, I recognized the value of my time. My day felt infinitely freer, as the hours I had wasted watching 15-second videos were now opening up slots of time for me to put to better use.
Throughout my week without TikTok, I’ve finished the book I meant to read forever, started picking up my old hobbies like scrapbooking again, and was on top of all of my work, leading to a weight lifted off of my shoulders, as I’ve been less daunted by my to-do list.
Most importantly, I’m more engaged throughout my day. The constant comparison to the lives of influencers has been left in the past, and my full attention has been given to the people in my real life as opposed to on my phone screen. Tied all together, the benefits outweighed the initial boredom without the app. Following my self-challenge of deleting TikTok for a week, I decided to keep the app gone for good. The Supreme Court continues to debate the ban on the app, but banning the app for ourselves has much to offer.
Bob Popper • Jan 18, 2025 at 9:25 pm
The reason it’s bad isn’t even about TikTok anymore. It’s about the precedent and the violation of our 1st Amendment rights. It’s also about Congress blatantly lying (even under oath) that it was about National security, when there is absolutely zero evidence proving so.
Gail • Jan 18, 2025 at 1:37 pm
If you aren’t adult enough to stop doom scrolling without the govt interference, then maybe you should just get a jitterbug phone.
Jay Allen • Jan 18, 2025 at 1:17 pm
Imagine being happy with government overreach and the violation of our constitutional rights because you’re too lazy and undisciplined to have self control and mange the amount of time you spend on your mobile device. Pathetic take.
Fabian • Jan 18, 2025 at 12:59 pm
This is the most illogical article I have ever read. First off how about having the choice to do what you want to do in life ? It’s literally called the first amendment of the constitution. Laws banning freedom is a dangerous slope . What’s to stop the government from banning something else ? Also how about showing some restrained from your phone? It’s you not being productive ; can’t blame it on Tik tok. You’re speaking from a high schoolers perspective but I know many high schoolers who put in the work and do not waste their time all day on that nonsense. Your choosing to do that ; while with a ban there is no choice . Again your article is for the birds . This ban is definitely not a good thing and no I hate Tik tok; but be damned if you think banning something is a good thing. Its not. It’s a start to stop any and every freedoms we have . This is just as brainless as someone having the freedom to be brainless on their down time. You have CHOICES. Choose to stay off the internet and into your life .
Pennythoughts • Jan 18, 2025 at 12:46 pm
This is like banning alcohol because some people are addicted to it.
Jason • Jan 18, 2025 at 12:29 pm
All of these negative effects apply to other social media, such as Instagram. According to this logic, we should ban social media entirely. These natural consequences to using social media– which an individual has the power to control– pale in comparison to the consequences of banning TikTok, with millions of creators and businesses losing their platform and the loss of a major center of culture for the younger generation, just to name a few.
Kit • Jan 18, 2025 at 12:19 pm
Yes it is actually. It infringes upon free speech and expression. It is not the government’s place to make choices about the content I see or my health. Even if it is unhealthy, we have not banned things like cigarettes or liquor in spite of the health risks. Censorship and infringement of rights is always bad. I can’t even believe this is an argument. You and others always had the choice to leave TikTok if it was negatively impacting you. Others should not have their rights infringed upon so that you do not have to excerise self control. To not see this as the canary in the coal mine it is shows ignorance of what is actually at stake. The outrage of the ban is not outrage that TikTok itself is being banned, but rather that the law it is being banned under allows the banning of any foreign company that the American government can fabricate reasons to ban if they will not sell. This is an obvious way to censor the information that Americans have access to by the government and limit expression. It goes against everything the United States stands for.
Kellin Berulli • Jan 18, 2025 at 11:56 am
I’m sorry but I’m not on board with this take. It isn’t solely tiktok that contributes to mental health issues but ALL SOCIAL MEDIA and the internet at large. Tiktok has contributed 23 billion to our economy on a yearly basis and some (many) Americans depend on it for their livelihoods. So yes: it is definitively a bad thing for it to be banned in this manner, it’s not really a matter of argument but of cold, hard numbers.
Jesse Stroud • Jan 18, 2025 at 11:40 am
Yes, it’s a bad thing. How you or anyone spend your time isn’t the app’s responsibility. The government controlling what apps you choose to use/consume shouldn’t be one of their powers.
The impact of an American Tiktok ban extends far, far beyond YOU and whether or not you gave yourself a little extra free time in the day with self-control.