Reports that the Biden administration is threatening to ban TikTok, the most downloaded and one of the most heavily used apps in the country, caused users to erupt in suspicion and indignation Thursday.
Some called it a violation of the First Amendment. Others claimed it was a ploy to help Instagram Reels, the short-video service from Facebook owner Meta. Some wondered why TikTok was being singled out as a threat, considering how many apps hoover up their users' personal data.
And some simply appealed to policymakers for compassion. "Please don't ban TikTok. My teenaged son and I have a blast there," a Twitter user named Aimee Vance tweeted, then added, "Together..."
