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The TikTok ban on university networks and school-owned devices has caused dissatisfaction among students. The unhappy students are now protesting on campuses against the decision.
TikTok has come under fire in the United States for alleged collaboration with the Chinese government and spying on US citizens. The ByteDance-owned video-sharing app was first banned on federal devices in over 25 states, and now university campuses are joining the bandwagon. According to Bloomberg, Auburn University, the University of Georgia, and Oklahoma State University have recently banned TikTok on their devices and the network.
The University of Texas, Austin, with over 52,000 students, is one of the latest universities in the United States that has blocked TikTok. Unsurprisingly, the unhappy students – mainly from Generation Z – are objecting to the decision.
TikTok is blocked from US university networks and devices
Students believe imposing such restrictions is an “encroachment on students’ personal freedoms.” Grace Featherston, a 22-year-old senior theater-education major at the university, says, “It’s the choice of US citizens, whether they want to consume TikTok” and “whether they want to take that risk.”
Of course, the objection is not only among students. Some university staff also oppose the ban, claiming it can impact their relationship with students. Kate Biberdorf, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Texas, Austin, with over 194,400 TikTok followers, says she’s using the app “as an educational tool to make science fun and accessible.” She also called the decision a “push in the wrong direction” that aims to deprive people of their rights.
TikTok has landed in hot water after Forbes reported that the app has tracked and spied on their journalists. The Chinese video-sharing app also made the headlines last week for an alleged “heating” button that makes certain content go viral. If the TikTok controversy continues, Google and Apple might remove the app from their stores.
Political parties also find it risky to impose a ban on TikTok. The app’s main users are young people who are often under 30 and account for a large sum of votes, especially for the Democratic party.