On April 13, Bill Lee signed a bill that banned students from accessing TikTok and other Chinese platforms on public campus’s Wi-Fi networks.
In an email sent to students through The Office of Information Technology, “APSU OIT has banned a list of all social media platforms from wired and wireless networks. The law does not prohibit students, faculty, staff, or members of the general public from accessing TikTok or other such Chinese social media platforms through an individual’s personal network connection or a third-party network.”
While many students argue that it infringes on First Amendment rights there may be some benefits to this ban that students may not recognize.
Privacy Concerns
While this goes for any major platform there are privacy risks that come from being on Tiktok. Many students often film in front of campus, in front of their homes, and more. The world is filled with people that can use that against you and overall reveal personal information or worse.
It is a cesspit of negativity
Again, this is a scene across the social media universe. The more time spent on the platform, the more comments that can potentially trigger a person to arise and even lead to the event of serious cyberbullying. Not to mention the number of videos on Tiktok meant to trigger a person such as videos promoting eating disorders, relapsing, and more.
It damages a person’s mental health
In comparison to others, absorbing forms of toxic media, and more can cause devastating effects on a person’s mental health such as body dysmorphia, depression, and more. Some others due to social media have been pushed to self-harm and even suicide.
Attention Span
Social Media can be addictive. The average person spends two hours and 31 minutes alone on social media and fear of missing out or ” FOMO” only makes the issue grow tenfold, increasing many young adults’ ability to focus and maintain conversation skills.
