Lesson Plan - The Battle Over TikTok

Build Background Knowledge

Before reading the article, have students take the five-question Prereading Quiz. This interactive quiz is self-scoring and will provide an explanation as students answer each question. Then direct students to watch the video about the First Amendment. Engage students in a discussion about the First Amendment and prompt them to think of ways they personally exercise their First Amendment liberties. 

Preview Vocabulary

Use the online Skill Builder Words to Know to preteach the domain-specific terms censor, Communist, Congress, Constitution, cybersecurity, espionage, federal, First Amendment, personnel, senator, server, Soviet Union, and Supreme Court. Have students refer to the Skill Builder as they read. 

Read the Article

Read the article aloud or have students read it independently or in pairs. As students read, direct them to circle or highlight any words whose meanings they’re unsure of. 

Answer Close-Reading Questions

Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.

• What is the purpose of the first paragraph? (Skill: Author’s Craft) 
The purpose of the first paragraph is to grab readers’ attention. It also provides some examples of why so many people find TikTok entertaining. This paragraph emphasizes what users would miss if TikTok were banned in the U.S. 

• What is the main reason TikTok may be banned? What could prevent the ban? (Skill: Central Idea) 
The main reason TikTok may be banned is that it is owned by a Chinese company. This makes some U.S. lawmakers worry about Americans’ privacy and the possible spread of false information because the U.S. and China have a competitive relationship. The app would likely not be banned if TikTok is sold to a buyer from a country “that is on good terms with the U.S.” 

• According to the section “What Does TikTok Know?,” how could TikTok be a “powerful weapon for China”? (Skill: Analyzing Word Choice) 
TikTok could be a “powerful weapon for China” because China could use information gathered through the app against the United States. TikTok, like many other social media apps, collects personal information from users. It tracks searches, shares, likes, and more. China has a Communist government, with leaders who have extensive control and ownership over the lives of people there, including land and businesses. As such, the Chinese government could demand information from TikTok’s owner, including private information, messages, and locations of American users. This could compromise the privacy and safety of millions of American TikTok users. 

• Summarize the section “Legal Challenges.” (Skill: Summarizing) 
TikTok officials say they are taking steps to ensure that Americans’ personal information is not given to China’s government. TikTok, ByteDance, and others also make several other arguments against a nationwide TikTok ban. They claim that it would be a violation of Americans’ First Amendment right to free speech. They say censoring TikTok would also censor people in the U.S. who use it for self-expression, for business, and to access news. Additionally, they say, if the United States can force TikTok to be sold because of security concerns, it could do the same to other companies. Critics of a ban also say it could lead to other apps being banned in the U.S. or in other countries. That, they argue, could end up limiting personal freedoms that the U.S. has long supported. 

• Explain what readers learn from the sidebar “The U.S. and China: Past and Present.” Why might the author have chosen to include this sidebar? (Skill: Author’s Purpose) 
The sidebar shows three snapshots in time that have shaped the relationship between the two countries. For more than 70 years, the U.S. and China have navigated trade tension and disagreements about government style and actions. Even though the two countries rely on trading with each other today, their policies are at odds. The author may have included the sidebar to provide insight into why the U.S. is hesitant to trust a China-based company. 

• Draw a conclusion based on data presented in the infographic “Americans on TikTok.” (Skill: Drawing Conclusions) 
Possible answers: Based on the bar graph, I conclude that the percentage of Americans ages 18-64 who regularly get news from TikTok will likely continue to grow if the app is not banned. Based on the stat about the percentage of teens who use TikTok, I conclude that people in that age group would be most affected by the ban. 

Tracing an Argument 

Using specific details from the article, invite students to identify three claims that support the ban and three claims that oppose the ban. Direct students to pinpoint evidence from the text in support of each claim.  

Taking a Stance 

Direct students to the “Your Turn” writing prompt at the end of the article. Students should use the Skill Builder Make Your Voice Heard as a guide for constructing a letter to a legislator expressing their opinion on the nationwide TikTok ban. Invite students to support their stated opinion using details from the article or their own research, including statements from experts and facts from the infographic. 

Assess Comprehension

Assign the 10-question Know the News quiz, available in PDF and interactive forms. You can also use Quiz Wizard to assess students’ comprehension of this article and three others from the issue.