Tik Tok or Douyin is a media app created in September 2016 for creating and sharing videos. It is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company. The Supreme Court of India recently ordered Google Play and Apple Store to remove the Tik Tok app from their digital platforms.

Tik Tok is an app which allowed people to edit and create their own videos which helped them expand their creativity. Direct video upload, Duet videos, Download Other’s Videos, Slideshow Maker Video Record Timer, Song Picker are some of the features of TikTok videos.

“Tik Tok is an app which lets anybody with a normal camera and minimum internet speed to exhibit their talent. Its ban has made a lot of users miserable” said Aarthi, a college student.

The Madras High Court had ordered an intermediate ban on TikTok following complaints about its objectionable content. Subsequently, the Supreme Court of India ordered Google Play and Apple Store to remove the Tik Tok app from their digital platforms.

Allegations against the app are that it encourages cultural degradation, suicide, and child abuse.

“Banning an app is not the solution. Many apps like Tik Tok can come up in future. Instead, social media website owners have to take measures to prevent offensive and indecent matrial from circulating through their media,” said Malvika, a law student.

As per the terms and conditions, the minimum age to use Tik Tok app is 13 years as young minds are at high risk of getting corrupted. This is the reason many parents want the app to get banned.

Social Media websites should start with keeping an age-lock of 18 years for users. Strict mechanism to check the authenticity of age of young children has to be devised.

Tik Tok is not the only Social Media platform where inappropriate contents are displayed. The problem of the vulgar materials being circulated has to be disabled by website owners.