Since when did the United States government become the arbiter
of which news outlets we can use?
Apparently, the government has appointed itself the judge, jury
and soon-to-be executioner of the social media platform known as TikTok.
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill
Wednesday that would compel TikTok parent company ByteDance to sell the app to
non-Chinese owners within six months or see it banned in the United States.
Would banning TikTok be good or bad for travel?
On one hand, one could argue it is great for travel, showcasing videos of destinations all over the world. But on the other hand, does it put a fake view of places to try and influence tourism, as opposed to what the reality truly is?
TikTok has 170 million users in the United States. It’s fair to
say that a good portion of them are involved in travel somehow, whether that is
looking up an exotic, faraway destination or actually working in the business. But
just as many people – including the President of the United States – believe
TikTok poses a national security threat because of its alleged relationship
with the Chinese government.
Travel companies, including advisors, are just looking to build
some brand awareness. Who are we to tell them how to conduct their business? To
say that banning this particular social media platform would have an impact
would be an understatement, to say the least.
Sorry to say, but methinks this creates a slippery slope for
other businesses and industries. To me, in its rawest form, it’s just another
way for travel to get the word out, so to speak. Now, there are other options,
of course. Content creators can use Instagram, YouTube Shorts and Facebook, for
instance. But who is to say that those platforms might also be banned in the
future if this platform is barred?
Richie Karaburun, a hospitality
and tourism professor at New York
University, told Phocuswire, “TikTok, whether people want to
admit it or not, is one of the most effective traffic generators. The
engagement rate is one of the highest among Americans compared to other [social
media platforms]. This is really more than an 800-pound gorilla. It’s a very big
beast that actually operated very well.”
To be clear, we will all live without TikTok if the ban goes into
place. That includes the travel industry, where much of the content is
repurposed on other social media platforms. But why take the chance of
alienating such a large audience?
TikTok has been a friend to the travel industry, shining a light
on destinations, airlines, hotel rooms, cruise ship cabins, restaurants, and
more.
TikTok can be polarizing, that’s for sure. Some people love it. Others
hate it, including those who believe that there is a inordinate amount of
influence on a subjective subject like travel.
And let’s not even get into what a ban would do for the First
Amendment and the whole idea of freedom of speech.
At its best, TikTok can be a celebration of travel.
Why take that away?
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