The Government is Banning Tiktok? Good.

I Promise I Have Good Reasons for Celebrating the Ban

Let me preface today's post by sharing that this is my first Substack for paid subscribers only. While the majority will be free and available to all, I feel the ones with more personal anecdotes/experiences/stories should be more limited. Thank you for your understanding and support!

I want you to close your eyes for a moment.

Okay, wait! Open them.

(I need you to read the following prompt, and then you can close your eyes.)

I want you to visualize an app that is not only generally safe for children but also educational, as it shares short, educational videos that teach math and science.

Even better, this app has a 40-minute daily limit, as screen time for minors is highly regulated.

Okay, now you can close your eyes.

*10 seconds of silence from me*

Ladies and gentlemen: What I just described to you is Tiktok.

Well, at least it's TikTok (or Douyin) in China.

If you log in here in America, you will find Alaska Airlines flight attendants twerking, videos of the latest dangerous viral challenges, and pre/teens seemingly forgetting that the internet is forever.

The latter is what fuels my concern about the app.