TikTok ban is not the correct answer

emma TYULYAYEV

The recent attempts by the U.S. government to ban TikTok, a popular social media app among the teen population, has users, it is understandable the government would want to protect its citizens’ data from potential danger. However, an outright ban on TikTok would be an overreaction from the government and is not the right tunity to learn about new and intriguing information on the For You page. Without TikTok, I would have to find a new place for my creativity.

The app also has become a significant voice in economic growth in the U.S., with many content creators able to make a living from posting their content to the platform. The ban would hurt these individuals’ livelihoods and also potentially affect the broader economic growth of the U.S.

While the concerns surrounding TikTok are legitimate, a ban is not the answer.

Rather than limiting Americans’ freedom of expression and choice, the U.S. government should work to strengthen data privacy and security regulations for all social media apps. This approach would be more effective in addressing the security risks posed by TikTok while also being more in line with American values of free speech and individual choice.

While climate change policy has seemed like one step forward and two steps back, we finally achieved a win after five states have enacted legislation to require all new cars sold in its borders to be electric by 2035. So, why are we trying to fight it? Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from cars contribute 27% of the total carbon emissions in the U.S., making them the sole largest source of GHG emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The opportunity to have government mandated climate conscious vehicles is starkly different from the typically unheard demands for environmental protection legislation. When state governments enact policies like these, they are actively taking the future of the nation into their hands. While the argument can be made that electric vehicles are more expensive than gasoline cars, not every electric car is a Tesla.

liza COOPER

NOIt is absolutely not a good idea for states to promote the purchase of electric vehicles to “reduce climate change” in years to come. Electric vehicles, while marketed as good and safe for the environment, are actually anything but. The mining of lithium for the large batteries of electric cars just contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, which is exactly the thing they are supposed to reduce. According to MIT, the production of a battery for a Tesla Model 3 releases anywhere from 3 tons to 16 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, electric vehicles are substantially more expensive than gas-run vehicles; therefore, it is not in the best interest of the working and middle class for governments to make these pricey requirements.