America's Digital Prohibition: TikTok Ban Sparks Rebellion and Opens China's 小红书
The TikTok Ban: A Digital Prohibition for the 21st Century
By Jade Lopez
In a throwback move to the 1920s Prohibition era, the United States has officially banned TikTok as of January 19, 2025. Just as alcohol prohibition led to speakeasies and bootlegging, this digital ban has completely backfired on the US government.
American TikTok users, all 170 million of them, woke up to a stark message: "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now." But like their Prohibition-era ancestors profited off of the liquor industry, TikTok provided an income to so many American creators and they're not taking this restriction lying down.
Tech-savvy users are turning to VPNs and alternative platforms, creating a digital underground. It's like the modern equivalent of a secret knock at a hidden bar door. This ban has ironically sparked a surge of international curiosity and dialogue.
Americans are now flocking to Chinese controlled apps like 小红书 Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), which has become the most downloaded app in the U.S. Apple Store. It's as if, by trying to close a door, the government has inadvertently opened a window for Americans to peek into the real everyday lives of the Chinese public, who overwhelmingly populate this new (well, new for us) app.
The UK Perspective: Digital Siblings
Interestingly, UK users are now experiencing TikTok without American users and are viewing Americans as their digital siblings. It's a relationship full of playful banter and occasional annoyance and fights, but when push comes to shove, they miss their American counterparts. This ban has created a sense of digital mourning across the Atlantic.
Looking Ahead
As we navigate these new restrictions, one thing is clear: attempts to control access often backfire. President-elect Trump has already hinted at issuing an executive order to reinstate TikTok, showing how quickly the tides can turn. (If we think back to 2019, he was one of the first politicians to suggest we need to ban TikTok in the US, and is now touting that he is going to solve a problem he created but that's another conversation for another day.)
Anyways, just as Prohibition eventually ended, perhaps this digital ban will lead to a more open and connected world. After all, when it comes to technology and human creativity, borders are often just lines on a map.
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《TikTok 禁令：21 世纪的数字禁令》
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作者：杰德·洛佩兹
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美国在 2025 年 1 月 19 日正式封禁 TikTok，这一举措让人回想起 20 世纪 20 年代的禁酒时代。就像禁酒令导致了地下酒吧和走私酒的出现一样，这次的数字禁令对美国政府来说完全适得其反。
领英推荐
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美国的 1.7 亿 TikTok 用户一觉醒来，收到了一条严厉的消息：“美国已颁布了一项禁止 TikTok 的法律。不幸的是，这意味着您目前无法使用 TikTok。”但就像禁酒时代那些从酒类行业获利的先辈们一样，TikTok 为众多美国创作者提供了收入，他们不会轻易接受这一限制。
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精通技术的用户正在转向 VPN 和其他替代平台，形成了一个数字地下世界。这就像是现代版的在隐藏酒吧门前的秘密敲门。具有讽刺意味的是，这一禁令引发了国际社会的好奇心和对话热潮。
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美国人现在纷纷涌向中国控制的应用程序，如小红书（Xiaohongshu），它已成为美国苹果应用商店中下载量最多的应用程序。就好像政府试图关上一扇门，却无意中为美国人打开了一扇窗，让他们得以窥视中国公众真实的日常生活，而这款新（对我们来说是新的）应用程序上充斥着大量的中国用户。
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英国视角：数字兄弟姐妹
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有趣的是，英国用户现在在没有美国用户的情况下使用 TikTok，反而将美国人视为他们的数字兄弟姐妹。虽然是一种充满了玩笑式的打趣、偶尔的烦恼和争吵的关系，但在关键时刻，他们还是想念他们的美国伙伴。这一禁令在大西洋彼岸造成了一种数字哀悼的氛围。
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展望未来
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在我们探索这一新的数字领域时，有一点是明确的：试图控制访问往往会适得其反。当选总统特朗普已经暗示将发布行政命令恢复 TikTok，这表明形势变化之快。（如果我们回想 2019 年，他是最早建议在美国封禁 TikTok 的政客之一，而现在他却吹嘘自己将解决他造成的问题，但这是另一个话题了。）
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总之，就像禁酒令最终结束一样，也许这次的数字禁令将带来一个更加开放和互联的世界。毕竟，当涉及到技术和人类创造力时，边界往往只是地图上的线条。
Content Creator @ Wachter, Inc. | Creative Power House
1 个月lol Titkok is back online in the US one hour after I wrote this article ?? buckle up folks this is going to be a rollercoaster ??
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