Juliet W '26 on the TikTok Ban

TikTok has been at the forefront of a nationwide debate, with some celebrating its potential ban and others protesting what they view as an attack on the freedom of expression. On the evening of January 18th, when the app went dark for 170 million American users, teens and adults alike were outraged. However, some viewed this ban as a positive change. Trevor’s own Juliet W. ‘26 had an opinion article published in the New York Times about why losing TikTok was a good change for her.

As high school students, many of us can relate to Juliet’s usual afternoon routine. She writes, “Every day, I get home from school around 3:30 p.m., with a list of assignments that, if I’m focused, should take until 6 p.m. to complete. But I don’t usually end up finishing them until 11. Why? TikTok.” What for many students starts as a quick break between a long school day and the completion of homework assignments quickly turns into a black hole of endless scrolling. Each video leads to another, and suddenly hours disappear, seemingly into midair. Many know the cycle of telling themself that they’ll get to their schoolwork in just one more video, only to realize that a full afternoon has been wasted.

Juliet goes on to explain that this struggle to put our phones down isn’t only about lost time: it’s also about just how much TikTok infiltrates people’s daily lives. For many, TikTok goes beyond a simple form of entertainment. The app dictates what users find funny, what we talk about, and even what we wear. “Last year TikTok directed me to wear cheetah prints. Suddenly those animal likenesses ran all my other clothes out of the apartment,” she writes. What can start as just another trend on our “For You” pages rapidly turns into a musthave look, filling stores, shopping carts, and even the Upper School Centers at Trevor. One day, it’s Ugg minis and claw clips. The next, it’s slick-back buns and Stanley cups. Even those who don’t actively use TikTok find themselves influenced by it, whether it’s through viral fashion, trending makeup routines, or the latest ‘clean-girl’ aesthetic. The influence of TikTok isn’t just visible in Juliet’s closet. It’s something we see at Trevor each day.

While the TikTok ban may seem like an abrupt shift to many, Juliet’s perspective offers a unique lens that we can view this change through. For Juliet and many others, the ban represents a potential opportunity for a new start–one that could allow teenagers to reclaim their time, focus, and sense of individuality. By pulling access from the app, teenagers would be rid of the constant pull of trends and distractions. This could provide teens with the space to focus on what matters more, like their mental health, schoolwork, and personal interests.

For some, this change may be difficult, as it challenges not only a form of entertainment but a cultural cornerstone. But as Juliet suggests, there is a silver lining: the possibility to figure out who we are beyond just what is trending at a given moment. Whether or not the TikTok ban moves forward, the lessons learned from its influence will shape the way teens engage with social media, and ourselves, in the future.