For those who do not know, YikYak is banned from use on Augustana’s campus Wi-Fi. This app allows users to post anything about anyone anonymously, resulting in cyberbullying. TikTok, another social media platform, does not serve the same purpose or style as YikYak and should not be banned from the school’s Wi-Fi.

On Dec. 8, 2022, an incident involving odd, threatening messages on campus and TikTok led many students to panic. This was not an incident to be taken lightly, given that things can escalate quickly on social media. However, any social media platform could have been used. If YikYak had been used, would students have felt the same level of threat across campus? The anonymity of YikYak makes it a far more dangerous app than Tiktok. 

With anonymous claims, people cannot figure out who is saying these things that can be hurtful, abusive or vulgar. There is also no closure with knowing who accused or stated such remarks. TikTok gives viewers a sense of closeness and connection with the influencer or video. It also relieves the nervous nature that comes with the unknown identity of social media accounts. Another aspect of TikTok that helps relieve stress is the videos and images. People are less likely to share inappropriate or rude content if there is an image to be associated with them. YikYak is more dangerous because of the “safety” that comes from hiding behind a screen.

Any social media platform can be used for any intent, good or bad. TikTok uses videos for all posts, which can lead to a worse type of cyberbullying. However, YikYak leads people to be bold in their statements, considering nobody knows who anybody is. It is harder to hide behind the mask of the screen on TikTok if cyberbullying is happening.

I do not think TikTok should be banned. If we ban TikTok because of its cyberbullying potential, any social media platform could be banned. Many people enjoy TikTok for the funny moments, not the mean ones, something that can be said of any social media. Videos including animals, tutorials, or life hacks are some of the TikToks that students watch for a break in their busy days. I do not think there is anything wrong with having a social media app for a personal pastime.

Banning TikTok from Augustana’s Wi-Fi would not be beneficial, just like it is not for YikYak. Students just access and view these apps via data. Even with apps that are not banned, students use data since the Wi-Fi is unreliable. ITS can only do so much to attempt to ban an app on a campus-wide network, and it is a waste of time.

The argument that there should be a ban on TikTok because of cyberbullying is unrealistic. All social media platforms can provide the opportunity for either good or bad intent from users. The attempt to ban YikYak makes more sense anonymity factoring into how badly the app affects students. To me, the benefits of TikTok outweigh the cons.