On a crisp 60-degree Friday morning, the University of Florida campus almost seemed idyllic. Beneath a cloudless blue sky, students bustled around the Plaza of the Americas, coffee cups in hand and backpacks slung over shoulders, soaking in the rare instance of warm weather in the midst of winter.
But while the weather seemed to lift spirits, the news of the morning cast a shadow over the day. The United States Supreme Court upheld a controversial law banning TikTok, the popular social media app, leaving many students stunned and frustrated.
The ruling, issued early Friday morning, came as part of a larger conversation about national security. The popular social media platform with over 170 million users in the U.S. alone has long faced scrutiny from the nation’s government and citizens alike over its ties to China and allegations of data collection practices that could compromise user privacy.
The court’s decision marked the culmination of months of legal battles and debates over the balance between free speech and safeguarding national interests.
“I can see the danger as an American citizen and as a Chinese person,” said UF English and literature senior Annelis Hoffman. “I can see how it’s getting a little shaky with upholding certain rights to the public but also the danger to national security.”
Hoffman sat in a sunny patch in Turlington Plaza, chatting with a friend and catching up on local news. Hoffman said although she does use social media, she doesn’t frequent TikTok, mainly consuming short-form videos through Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts.
Yet for many students, the ban is more than a policy decision; it’s a disruption to a platform woven into the fabric of Gen Z’s daily life. Hoffman reflected on TikTok’s deeper significance beyond the memes, social trends and viral dances.
“Gen Z has a very interesting relationship with TikTok, because it was the app that came to the forefront primarily during the pandemic,” Hoffman said. “It serves as not only entertainment but also, at times, critical news.”
For UF and other state universities, TikTok has been banned under campus Wi-Fi since April 2023 following the State University System Board of Governors Emergency Regulation 3.0075.
UF mechanical engineering sophomore, Aarnav Gautam, questioned whether or not this was a well-founded decision.
For the 19-year-old, the debate surrounding the nationwide TikTok ban made him think more about local data privacy concerns. He pointed out what he sees as a double standard in the reasoning behind the ban.
“[People] are realizing they’re saying, ‘Oh, the Chinese government is stealing your data,’” he said. “And while that may be true, you are also getting that data taken [by] American companies.”
Other students shared a similar opposition, viewing the ban as an overreach. Max Kappalman, a UF political science and psychology senior, called the app a “virtual third place,” or a place for people to connect outside of home and work, for many members of Gen Z.
He questioned whether alternative solutions had been thoroughly explored, referencing social media star Mr. Beast who posted on X, formerly Twitter, with the intention to buy TikTok.
“I don’t believe that they should have gone as far as to ban the app,” Kappalman said. “There are many people, I think, that could have stepped in and maybe helped with that.”
Contact Sabrina Castro at scastro@alligator.org. Follow her on X @sabs_wurld.
Sabrina Castro is a rising senior studying journalism at the University of Florida and a Summer 2024 reporter for The Avenue. In her free time you can find her scrolling TikTok or searching for hidden gems at local thrift stores.
