Americans think banning TikTok would do wonders for their mental health and productivity — but they’re also concerned about losing access to it as a news source.
That was the consensus among New Yorkers interviewed by DailyMail.com today as Congress passed a bill that will force the app’s Chinese parent company to divest or face a ban from US app stores.
“I would be annoyed for about three days,” said a former high school teacher. “I spend too much time on it, but it’s very entertaining and I would end up getting angry about it,” said a woman in her 20s.
But others said they like the way the app exposes them to news and lifestyle content, and they fear they are about to lose what has become an important new resource for millions of young Americans.
“Anything I have a question about, I look it up on TikTok,” said one young woman. “It’s a great way to spread information so quickly,” said another. ‘I don’t think it should be banned.’
“Maybe I’m spending too much time on it, but it’s very entertaining,” said one New Yorker. “I would end up getting angry about it.”
“Trump will bring it back, believe me,” said another New Yorker. ‘It is not a problem.’
Some even said their mental health would improve if TikTok were gone.
Most people interviewed by DailyMail.com expressed a sense of loss or disappointment about the impending ban. Those who didn’t know didn’t know or didn’t care.
Only one respondent seemed aware of the national security concerns, but he confidently repeated, “Trump will bring it back.”
“I would be sad,” said one person interviewed, who reported using the app more than any other app. “I love TikTok,” she told DailyMail.com.
The proposed ban is based on fears that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, could misuse people’s personal data and possibly even hand it over to the Chinese government — something it could theoretically be obliged to do under Chinese law.
TikTok has consistently denied the allegations, but US lawmakers moved one step closer to enacting the ban today as the House of Representatives voted 352-65 to pass the bill.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who as president used his executive powers to order ByteDance to sell TikTok, has now voiced his opposition to that — shortly after a meeting with Republican megadonor Jeff Yass, whose company has a $20 billion stake in ByteDance has.
Meanwhile, TikTok is busy lobbying to shore up support among senators, as the next step before the bill is passed will be a vote by the US Senate.
The wildly popular video-sharing app has more than 150 million US users and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing-based ByteDance
Another woman interviewed by DailyMail.com today said she wouldn’t mind the ban because the app is “very addictive,” and a ban “would give us the opportunity to look up and be more present.” ‘
She also pointed out that there are other places you can find content.
“I understand why people would be angry,” she said, “but personally I don’t think I would care much.”
An older German man said he knew nothing about social media, nor did he know what Congress was when he was interviewed.
But he also said members of his generation have done many things they were told not to do, and he encouraged young Americans to follow suit.
“Maybe I spend too much time on it,” says another respondent, “but in the end I would get angry about it.”
Similarly, another respondent said, “I think I’d be annoyed for about three days, but then I’d get over it.”
The man, a former high school teacher, said the app was “harmful to children’s education” because of its effects on children’s attention spans.
“I understand why people would be angry, but personally I don’t think I care much,” said one New Yorker.
“I think I’d be annoyed for about three days, but then I’d get over it,” another New Yorker told DailyMail.com.
Fears that the Chinese government would gain unauthorized access to U.S. data have generated bipartisan support for the proposed ban, with 73 percent of House Democrats and 90 percent of House Republicans voting in favor.
After approval by the House of Representatives, the next step is for the Senate to vote on the bill.
If approved, it will go to Joe Biden for his signature. President Biden has already promised that he would sign the bill even if his campaign is posted on the app.
In the event that TikTok is banned in the US, multiple respondents told DailyMail.com that they would spend their phone time on X instead – although they all called it by its old name Twitter.
Some said they would spend less time on their phones.
“Maybe I’ll have more time to relax, take a walk,” said one respondent.