The internet (as well as news outlets) were abuzz on Friday about the U.S. Supreme Court decision to ban TikTok. But by Monday, the buzz was muted when newly sworn President Donald Trump imposed a 90-day ban on the decision.

While some young users of the social media platform considered the ban a way to censor their opinions, others—typically older adults—applauded the decision. They argued that it would protect national security by allegedly limiting the amount of personal data that China might glean from its users.

The nation’s highest court was more worried about the risk to national security posed by TikTok’s ties to China than overcoming concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the U.S.

Regardless of President Trump’s action—he has 14.7 million followers on the app—I don’t think any ban will affect those who want to keep logging on.

I don’t use TikTok but I’m savvy enough to know the app allows people to watch hundreds of videos in as little as half an hour because some are only a few while others may go on for minutes.

The critical question for Woodland and Yolo County adults (who largely don’t use the app) is whether its elimination will lead to greater security for their kids. Adults, of course, generally use Facebook or Instagram.

But it’s naïve to believe young adults will be any safer from either losing their data or secure from cyberbullying regardless of what happens. And both police and school officials know of specific cases of cyberbullying through TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or any other platform.

Nationwide, teens have been using social media to stage fights, verbally attack their “enemies,” or create fake, lurid videos. Some teens have committed suicide after being humiliated online. Some have used guns to shoot and kill their tormentors.

Fortunately, the Woodland Police Department and Woodland Joint Unified School District are hosting a workshop on cyberbullying and its effect on mental health.

“In this workshop, you’ll learn how to navigate these risks, set healthy boundaries, and empower your child to use social media safely,” states a Facebook post for the workshop. “Don’t miss this opportunity to protect your family and stay informed about the digital world.”

The event is set from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 22, at the School District Office, 435 Sixth St.

Whether adults attending will have any actual influence is debatable, although both police and school officials should be credited for making the effort.

Hopefully, someone will put together an Instagram or Facebook video to highlight the information. I would recommend organizers also do a TikTok video.

Rather, local officials are going to have to look elsewhere to reach the very people who need to be part of the workshop. Helping parents who are concerned about their teens won’t do much good if the parents can’t reach their teens.

However, alternatives to TikTok are available. Some popular sites include Rednote, which is dedicated to musical works; Instagram Reels, which is pretty good by the way; YouTube Shorts, which I haven’t used; Snapchat Spotlight, which is pretty cool; Triller, which I hadn’t heard of until just recently; and Clapper, which may be just the thing to showcase the workshop since that’s what it was designed for.

Jim Smith is the former editor of The Daily Democrat, retiring in 2021 after a 27-year career at the paper. His email is newsie2001@yahoo.com.