Texans Devastated As Tik Tok App Goes Dark

The popular app is no longer available.

The End

Late Saturday night, TikTok users were greeted with the unsettling message: "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now." For most of us, this might elicit nothing more than a shrug and the thought, "What's next?" But for creators, it’s a whole different story. The term "creators" itself covers a wide range—from those crafting mini-productions to those simply chronicling their daily lives on the app.

The Beginning

TikTok began making waves in the U.S. in 2016, eventually becoming the most downloaded app just two years later. That means many users enjoyed a 7-to-9-year run with the platform. Consider this: if you started documenting your life at 15 years old, you'd now be about 24—a HUGE chapter of someone’s formative years captured on the app.

Reasons Given

The app was banned due to being labeled a "security risk," though this reasoning seems rooted more in hyperbole than substantiated facts. Yes, TikTok gathered user information, but it appears this data collection was primarily intended for monetization purposes (e.g., targeted ads) rather than some grand government conspiracy. Much of the concern surrounding TikTok ties into broader fears about China—a modern-day red scare. Many U.S. users argue that data collection is simply "part of the deal" when using apps or engaging with the internet in general.

The Future

As TikTok faces an uncertain future, there’s hope that a new administration in the U.S. may provide the app a reprieve, granting it more time to potentially sell its operations to American interests. However, for now, the ban has fueled further distrust in the U.S. government—an outcome that arguably benefits China far more than TikTok ever could.