As a Canadian, I’m watching the swirling chaos around the TikTok ban in the United States with a mix of disbelief and dread. It’s not just about an app—it’s about the ripple effect on how we consume news, build communities, and keep our finger on the cultural pulse. And while Canada is already grappling with Meta banning the sharing of news on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the loss of American TikTok adds insult to injury.
We’re moving into an age where it’s not just harder to consume news; it’s harder to talk about it. TikTok’s algorithm—say what you want about it—is an unmatched force for fostering discourse and connection. Forget the chaos of Twitter (which I’m not calling “X,” Elon) or the heavily curated Instagram Explore page; TikTok’s For You page is a digital playground of ideas, subcultures, and yes, even cult-classic Charli XCX’s Apple giving rise to “Brat Summer” and unifying us all in a shared dance craze.
But this isn’t just about viral moments. TikTok has become the place for nuanced discussions, from political discourse to niche communities. Many people, especially those living in isolated areas, have found their “people” online thanks to TikTok. And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: this app has built careers. Creators have leveraged TikTok’s reach to turn hobbies into income and side gigs into full-blown enterprises.
So what happens if it’s taken away? It’s not like there’s a perfect substitute waiting in the wings. Twitter is a dumpster fire of hot takes; Instagram is algorithmically allergic to showing you posts in real time; and Facebook—if you can stomach the relatives arguing about COVID—is just… there (tbh, I only have Facebook still because I use it to log in to almost everything). Nothing captures the moment like TikTok.
And then there’s the political angle. Trump first floated the TikTok ban in 2020 while in office, and now he’s doubled down by promising to extend the deadline for a sale of the app to 90 days when he’s takes the office. This so-called act of benevolence feels more like a poorly disguised cash grab. For context, very few companies—or individuals—have the financial muscle to buy a company as lucrative as TikTok. Read: Elon Musk already owns Twitter, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg (cue The Social Network quote: “You better lawyer up, asshole!”) clearly has his hands full squeezing every last drop out of Facebook and Instagram, starting with fact checkers.
And here’s where it gets even more dystopian. Right now, an alert pops up for American TikTok users saying, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office.” Let’s pause for a second—this is essentially a billboard for Trump’s reelection campaign on one of the world’s largest social media platforms. Not only is this fucked up on a basic level, but it’s also biased as fuck. TikTok is positioning itself as the victim, dangling its own survival as leverage, while playing into Trump’s narrative. It’s manipulative, it’s propaganda, and it’s happening right in front of us.
The whole thing reeks of self-interest. TikTok is the wild card in an increasingly monopolised tech world—one where the big names want to control how we connect, what we see, and how we talk about it. It’s hard not to side-eye Trump’s motives here. Framing this as a matter of “security” while simultaneously positioning himself as a saviour is the kind of political theatre that would earn a standing ovation on Broadway.
To be clear, TikTok isn’t without its flaws, but its unique ability to foster community, share news, and engage in discourse is unparalleled. Without it, we’re left with platforms that are either outdated or designed to push profit over authentic connection.
For Canadians, this conversation has even deeper implications. With Meta already restricting news-sharing, a TikTok ban further underscores how governments and tech giants are shaping—and stifling—how we engage with the world. When the flow of information is controlled by a select few, it’s not just about losing access to an app. It’s about losing a modern town square—a place where ideas, debates, and yes, even dance trends, come alive.
So, here’s the question we should all be asking: If TikTok goes, what’s next? And more importantly, who benefits when the communication network of the people is silenced? Spoiler: It’s not us.
