“DA Voices” is a recurring feature used to spotlight De Anza College’s diverse community voices. We ask the same question to different people and arrange their quotes so that readers can see varying points of view. In April 2024, President Joe Biden signed into law the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act which would force a TikTok ban or sale. We asked students about their opinions on the issue and this is what they had to say.
Ryan Chau, 21, anthropology major, said he doesn’t use TikTok much, so it doesn’t affect his social media use. He mentions that he’s from Hong Kong and that the people from there also support the ban.
“I’m from Hong Kong, so we support (the ban) because we know that it’s hurting the teenagers or children and how their mental and critical thinking will be when they grow up,” Chau said.
Khyree Cotton, 19, kinesiology major, said he stopped using TikTok about a year ago because he realized how distracting it can be.
“I don’t necessarily see (the ban) being too much of a problem if I’m being honest,” Cotton said. “I think (TikTok) is a really bad influence on the younger generation.”
Paula Rodriguez, 19, security administration major, said the ban would be a good thing.
“It would be good for the social network since it’s very (time) consuming for children,” Rodriguez said.
Rhianna Fontanilla, 21, graphic design major, uses TikTok frequently and said she thinks it’s dumb that TikTok might get banned in the U.S.
“There are bigger problems and issues to deal with before banning a social media app,” Fontanilla said.
Ian Ang, 21, computer science major, said he was neutral about the ban as he doesn’t use TikTok much.
“I’m on Instagram and I feel like I already can’t control myself on Instagram, I feel like I’m addicted to it already,” Ang said. “Personally, I feel like if TikTok is banned, I’m not really affected by it.”
Aron Andrianalisoa, 22, business administration major, said he rarely uses TikTok and thinks the ban won’t make much of a difference to him. He also said he thinks the ban would be good for society.
“If TikTok gets banned, you still have Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and all that,” Andrianalisoa said. “Less TikTok means more time to spend on other things.”
