TikTok and Its Influence on the World
There are millions upon millions of people around the entire globe that have TikTok downloaded on their phones. TikTok is an application that allows people to view videos from around the world of people dancing or even relaxation videos.
Teenagers mostly use this application, and therefore can also be influenced by the things that they see within the application. What started off as music, and has branched out to include more content that people can watch, is now one of the best applications to ever be created.
Using TikTok in the Workplace
On TikTok, there are many people that post videos of themselves either working or pulling a prank on their supervisor. These types of videos generate a lot of traffic. People love to see supervisors or other individuals getting pranked. On the other hand, there are many people that may not be so lucky with their supervisors.
There have also been many videos that have shown workers recording videos for their TikTok, but after posting that video, have been fired from their workplace. These reasons can vary from this being something inappropriate, to the supervisor potentially getting offended by the content that the employee posted.
What Happens as a Result?
As a result of the fact that there have been complaints, states are taking a TikTok ban to the next level. Many states are completely banning their employees from using Tiktok in the workplace, even if they are not posting videos. “As of January 2023, at least 26 states fully or partially prohibit officials and employees from using TikTok on government-issued devices,” stated the Anadolu Agency.
That is almost half of the United States that is prohibiting their workers from having access to Tiktok. There are two sides to this particular issue. There are people that favor this TikTok ban, as it provides great security to the business. However, there are many workers that are not in favor, as it can be considered an invasion of privacy.
One of the 26 states that are enforcing this state-wide Tiktok ban, is South Dakota. “South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has signed a state executive order banning all state agencies, employees, and contractors from accessing TikTok on any government-owned devices,” according to MSN.
The reason being they want to stay away from “nations who hate us.” Furthermore, do this by preventing their employees from using Tiktok in the workplace.
Is Manipulation A Viable Threat?
People around the US believe that the Chinese are trying to manipulate Americans. “The Chinese Communist Party uses information that it gathers on TikTok to manipulate the American people, and they gather data off [of] the devices that access the platform,” according to The Hill. This is another reason why a lot of businesses do not want to have their employees using Tiktok.
Future of Tiktok in the Workplace
There is a possibility that in the future, all 50 states will take this into consideration, and will exercise a TikTok ban in their workplace. The way that there was a Chinese balloon entering American airspace, will most likely make this ban happen a lot quicker.
Written by David Loran Jr
Sources:
Anadolu Agency: Number of US states banning TikTok from government devices grows
MSN: States Are Banning Workers From Using Tiktok
The Hill: Why state governments are banning TikTok
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Solen Feyissa’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Sheena Robertson
