The United States may be banning TikTok, and people here at Scituate High School have opinions. Due to potential security threats, President Joe Biden plans to ban TikTok by 2025 if the company is not sold.

TikTok has gained popularity among students at Scituate High School and is said to be “addictive” for many. Numerous students have mixed feelings about the possible ban and the ultimate decision in 2025. TikTok connects people from all over the world yet is also a heavy influence on students’ daily lives at SHS. 

An SHS sophomore Lila Watkins believes that her 2 hours a day on TikTok distracts her from her homework and productivity but states, ”If I didn’t have that app I would spend my time on another one, it’s not just TikTok.” Social media is distracting as a whole and it is proved that TikTok is not the only app to cause a lack of motivation according to Addiction Help.com.

Watkins continues, “And it seems ironic how they can’t get anything done to actually help the country besides banning a social media app that a lot of people value and have jobs from and make livelihoods from and also connect with people on.” For many people in the U.S., TikTok is not seen as just a social media app, but as a way to express themselves, connect with their peers, and provide jobs.

On the other hand, a fellow sophomore at SHS, Nicolette Ross, believes that the ban would be better for the mental health of high school students. She believes that even though there are addicting social media apps, TikTok is one that has a negative impact on her focus in school. “TikTok definitely distracts me from my school work in and outside of school and I would be on my phone less if it got banned.” Mindless scrolling causes stress and students already deal with that through school, sports, and extracurricular activities.

Similarly, a senior student at SHS who doesn’t have TikTok, Ben DiPesa agrees that Tiktok would most likely be beneficial if it was banned for everybody, “I see other people, and it’s just like any other social media app because it can cause anxiety.” Additionally, DiPesa says that Tiktok would affect his grades if he ever downloaded it, “I feel like maybe not at first like I feel that everyone thinks at the beginning they can manage it and avoid stuff like that, but then over time it would become more of a problem for people and then it could affect anything, mental health, all that jazz.”

Teachers also have varying opinions about the ban. Jennifer Curtis, an English teacher at Scituate High School says, “I don’t really have phones out in my classes but I do believe that kids are always thinking about social all the time.” She believes that social media has the potential to harm students and says, “I think…if someone is struggling with mental health and they are finding positivity on TikTok and they are finding a community-that’s a really good thing; I know that some people feel connected to a certain group or a certain idea because of the presence on TikTok. I also think like anything else you have to be really, really self-aware because I think it can lead you down some not-great roads.”

The biggest issue with social media according to all those interviewed is mindless scrolling.  Both students and teachers may find themselves wrapped up in the continuous video stream on the app and know that it is affecting their mental health, yet still hesitate to delete the app. Curtis states, “So I think if you’re using TikTok you should have it set up with the timer, I have a timer notification that comes up when I’ve spent 20 minutes.”

Vice Principal at SHS, Lisa Kirk has never used or interacted with TikTok. In an interview, Kirk explained how the app has had a major influence on students’ school lives.  “…it does worry me, and I do also think that the instant entertainment all the time, your generation doesn’t allow yourselves to sit and actually be bored, which is an important part of resting your brain.”