In defense of TikTok

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been closing in on the magical 1,000-follower goal. This will enable me to do live events and enjoy other perks. And this is happening when TikTok is about to be banned in the United States.

“But we have to ban TikTok! The Chinese government can mine our personal data,” the politicians cry through microphones made in China, or tweet on smartphones made in China, or post on their websites hosted in various countries with computers made in China. Of course, the same politicians have no problem allowing Facebook, Google, Twitter, and scores of other corporations mine their personal data, while bots from hostile countries post on their social media feeds. (It’s interesting to see the China-bashing politicians and media personalities who cuddle up to Russia and Putin.)

But we still have to get rid of TikTok in the name of public safety, right? But people do lots of terrible things in the name of “public safety,” as any trans person will attest. In the case of banning TikTok, it means destroying a community for the spurious of reasons.

I joined TikTok, as many writers do, for the BookTok community. It enabled indie authors like me to connect, share ideas, and reach out to readers. While I do this through my other social media platforms, video gives an immediacy and personal connection you don’t find in text. We stitch, comment, and…