The real debate behind TikTok’s global battle

If the United States was so paranoid that China would be able to access so-called personal information from Americans through the social media platform, TikTok, why couldn’t this suspected intelligence be used to solve cybercrimes and stop other potential threats, or was it just a matter of control and censoring?

This week, the world stood by and watched in anticipation how the popular app TikTok was banned from the US –but only for a few hours before new American president Donald Trump jumped in and saved the day to restore the app for the Americans.

Because Trump or something he said, or did, or danced went viral multiple times on social media last year, one could argue it contributed to his popularity and ultimately winning the elections.

Whether it was the alternating air punches to the sounds of the YMCA or making ridiculous claims of foreigners eating the pets in Springfield, who knows?

“They are eating the dogs and eating the cats in Springfield,” was one of many Trumps related sounds used and seen on TikTok.

ALSO READ: WATCH: TikTok restores US service as Trump promises executive order to pause ban

Besides Trump’s successful election campaign on the platform, the app has also delivered another interesting movement or surprising trend from America, which included the massive support for the suspect identified in the killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare late last year, that saw Britney Spears’ hit Criminal trend on social media with #freeluigi.

This not only demonstrated the impact of social media and the power it has on music, but also the way users express their support for or against a government.

It also caused celebrity couple Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag’s comeback.

Afterwards, he took to social media to talk about losing his house in the devastating Los Angeles fires.

Pratt’s real take on losing everything not only scored him a new wave of followers but helped him promote his wife Heidi’s pop song from 15 years ago to number 1 on various charts worldwide as supporters started streaming the music in support of the couple.

ALSO READ: NSPCA to lay charges against TikToker for allegedly force-feeding fish with alcohol

TikTok has also seen great uses in South Africa, with many trending South African sounds and videos becoming a form of news supply as the app transformed dances into news bulletins and was used as a platform to share missing cases or even weather alerts – all including footage of incidents we wouldn’t have seen anywhere else.

The platform has also made users feel closer to favourite celebrities and sports stars, who post more about their worlds there, allowing fans to get a better insight into a world they would have had before

While many users followed the celebrities, the platform also gave birth to content creation, propelling influencers to new heights and even giving the average Joe his five minutes of fame.

TikTok has launched many singing – and even comedy – careers which has seen talented individuals who may not have been discovered before being catapulted to overnight stardom and enabled them to earn money – and lots of it – from the comfort of their cellphone screens.

But there is also a darker side to social media which included cyberbullying, scams and even sexual offences – enough to trigger any normal person into a deep state of depression.

ALSO READ: TikTok: Time runs out as app shuts down in US before ban kicks in [VIDEO]

The things I have witnessed with my own eyes include a drunk woman drawing a firearm and tossing her ex-husband’s ashes down the toilet.

Another woman was selling her pubic hairs for gifts to make money online.

And others shared violent and harmful videos that not only triggered many users, but also promoted the wrong message: bad behaviour pays off.

While this is only the tip of the social media iceberg, things may become interesting with rumours of Elon Musk wanting to buy into the platform.