Political Psychology

Maybe they should ban TikTok

I’ve thought it was a bad idea from the beginning, but I think I’m starting to come around to it. They claim the reason is because of Chinese influence on our society, and because China is collecting data on US citizens that could be used against us. But that’s not the real reason and we know it (at least some of us do). As the lawyer for TikTok accurately pointed out, if that really was the reason, then why are other Chinese owned companies that also collect user data still allowed to exist?

It’s like this excerpt from an article I read recently about why the US placed a $15 million bounty on Venezuela’s President Maduro. The US claims it’s because he’s been involved in trafficking cocaine into the US for the last 20 years, costing lives and ruining communities. But as the author accurately points out, that’s not the real reason. 

“If the United States were genuinely concerned about democracy and human rights, Venezuela wouldn’t even make the top ten of their hit list. If it were about promoting democracy or protecting human rights, they’d be placing bounties on the heads of Saudi Arabia’s royal family or Israel’s prime minister.“

No they want to ban TikTok because they don’t have control over censoring it the way they do Instagram and FaceBook, or the way they used to have control over Twitter (now X), before Elon Musk bought it. Or the way they have control over the narrative the news spins. “COVID misinformation,” most of which turned out to be true, spreading across TikTok is what started it, and now its about censoring the reality of the brutal atrocity that Israel, backed by US weapons and money, is carrying out in Gaza, and about squashing opposition to the US support for Ukraine.

But here’s why I’m coming around to the idea. Because maybe a ban on TikTok will lead to a ban of Instagram, FaceBook, X, BlueSky, Truth Social, pick your poison. Whichever platform you rationalize using. Maybe a ban on one, will mean a ban for all, and we can all start getting our lives back. People can stop endlessly scrolling at dinner, or while they’re crossing the street, or while they’re supposed to be working. They can stop looking at shit they don’t care about, and obsessing over things that don’t impact them. Maybe they’ll stop having their minds infected with things that don’t actually matter, and they can focus on what does. They’ll finally be able to get away from things that are just there to trigger their nervous system, to make them angry, and instigate a response. Maybe if we eliminate one, we can eliminate them all, and everyone can pick their heads up long enough to see what is actually happening around them.

Yes I could be in favor of a TikTok ban if it means all of social media goes away. I think we were doing just fine when it was just the internet. And I think if we can get back there it will transform the population. I know it will never happen, but this TikTok ban has got me dreaming.