It’s an undeniable truth: people across the country hold vastly different perspectives on controversial issues. But what I am confident to say is that the American people are far more worried about the amount of innocent people dying at the hands of gun violence, drug abuse and a multitude of other tragedies, rather than a ban on a social media app.
As a teenager, it’s often assumed that my opposition to the TikTok ban is simply because I’m attached to social media. That couldn’t be further from the truth. My real concerns lie in the countless homeless veterans who are forgotten, innocent lives lost to senseless school shootings and the urgent environmental crises that threaten our future. These are the issues that demand our attention and action, not the regulation of a social media platform. My focus is on real, pressing problems that impact lives every day.
Why is our government putting so much time and energy into a ban that won’t benefit the American people? Why not strive as a nation to put together stable housing for homeless veterans? Why not establish laws that put a tighter restriction on who can and cannot buy guns? Why not find a way to lower the price of insurance and healthcare in America?
These laws and restrictions may take time to implement, but with the right focus and research, our nation has the potential to achieve a better outcome. Crafting these regulations won’t be easy, but it will be impactful. As a nation, our common goal should be to move forward and create a better tomorrow. So why continue to put countless lives at risk by ignoring the real, urgent issues we face? It’s time to act, to prioritize the well-being of our citizens, and to make meaningful change.
There is no solid proof that TikTok is dangerous for the American people. There is the obvious claim that TikTok can be bad for your mental health, but isn’t all social media? If we are going to take the step to ban an app because its owners are foreign to us, why not ban all social media platforms as they are critical to our mental health?
We stand at a crucial crossroads, where the decisions we make today will shape the future we leave behind. We must choose whether to continue down a path of inaction, or rise to the challenge. Our complacency will only lead to further decline, while action can spark transformative change. It’s time to refocus, the time for change is now.
