The Death of a Village: Banning TikTok

I'm lying on my bed, scrolling social media, when I see a post a friend shared of a short video. I click on it and am taken to an app I've never used until that moment. I watch the video and it makes me laugh. I'm thankful for that. It's been a long day.

It's spring 2020. I've been inside for weeks. I've seen an unusually high number of news reports, full of death and scary data. Facebook has been a steady stream of fear, anger, opinions, and sadness. A global illness has taken over my life. Isolation is the new existence.

I see another video posted and am again on the app called TikTok. This time, I stay for a moment and scroll through more content. I'm new, so my algorithm serves up a variety of short-form clips. I see people baking, singing, dancing, and doing home improvement projects while in lockdown. Then, I see doctors on the front lines of the pandemic and they are giving real information on what's happening and advice on what to do should you get sick. No fear, just helpful reassurance. No one in the news was doing that. It was the first time I felt safe since the world shut down. I saw skits, tutorials, live streams of concerts by bands who had to cancel tours, and, yes, even some thirst traps.

As I began to engage, the algorithm shifted to show me more of what I wanted to see. I found cool products, book recommendations, health and wellness tips, recipes, artists, and independent musicians. I learned history and saw parts of the world I never would have otherwise. I was exposed to cultures unknown and that expanded my awareness of humanity. I witnessed countless acts of kindness that fueled my desire to help others. I wound my way through religion, spirituality, psychology, mental health, social constructs, breathwork, meditation, and how-tos. Most of what I saw inspired me to do my own research and learn more. I began to change.

An app had provided me with the bulk of what I had never known I didn't know. The things I have learned on TikTok have directly impacted me as a human over the last three years. I am not the same person I was when I watched that first video. I am better. I'm better because I'm more in touch with myself and the world around me. My mind is as open as its ever been.

TikTok is a community. At a time when life was fragile and uncertain, the world found a way to connect and feel less alone. Throughout the pandemic, mental health crises and suicide rose. I can think of no better time for a village of millions experiencing the same thing to come together and find support and fellowship. I've watched couples form on TikTok and followed their long-distance relationships all the way to marriage. Some of them have babies now. Best friends found each other and now vacation together with their families. Book clubs, businesses, non-profit organizations, and countless outreach organizations have been formed as a result of these people coming together. Quite literally, lives have been saved.

For those who never had a village, TikTok has become theirs. It is a village that accepts anyone who comes in peace. Whatever your hobbies, occupation, or questions, you will find your people there. Banning it would be like setting fire to a village.