ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The days of endlessly scrolling through TikTok may soon come to an end with new federal legislation signed into law.

It’s important to note, though, that TikTok isn’t going anywhere just yet. TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance must sell TikTok to an approved buyer.

With so many users, what kind of an impact will come with a possible ban?

TikTok is more than just a source of entertainment for many. Some people see it as a livelihood. For others, a resource.

“It’s also definitely become an avenue to get information you wouldn’t otherwise get. Because I hear a lot about whats going on in Gaza, just news of that sort that I don’t really hear on television, and it’s more accessible to me,” UNM student Diego Ruiz said.

Despite that, this app has become the source of security concerns. The FBI warns that ByteDance could share users’ private information with the Chinese government.

“We’re talking about the ability to control or collect data on millions and millions of users to use it on all sorts of influence operations, like driving their A.I. efforts which are not remotely constrained by the rule of law,” FBI Director Christopher Wray told NBC News.

The law is the law, though. ByteDance must sell TikTok or it goes away forever.

Not everyone agrees with that.

“I don’t think they should ban it. Because I think free speech should be allowed, I don’t think the government should intervene with any social media,” UNM student Joseph Quintana said.

“I think most young people tend to get their news off social media like TikTok and Instagram. If it does get banned, more people would become less aware of the political environment and all the current events going on right now,” UNM student Taya Demianova said.

Others add they don’t feel at risk using the app.

“I feel like it’s like using software from Meta. It’s the same as using Instagram, Snapchat, X, all of that. It’s kind of the same risk. Wth TikTok, there are some vulnerabilities, I guess, but it’s not different than other social media,” Ruiz said.

ByteDance has nine months to make a decision so the ban on TikTok may happen next year. There is also a chance ByteDance could challenge the new law. If that happens, that will push the ban out more.