10 | January | 2025 | Plaid Line + PRIZM + Scottie News

By: Grace Lopez

McDonald’s is such a popular fast food that anyone can eat. This fast food is most known for their fries, chicken nuggets, hamburgers etc. McDonald’s was created in 1940 and from then to right now business has been booming and a lot of people really like McDonald’s. McDonald’s could be really affordable and really expensive for some people, but a lot of people really like the food.

Not a lot of items on the menu have really changed through the years. Little kids really only mostly go to McDonald’s for Happy Meals. They only really like the toy that’s inside. When I was little I also only wanted the toy.

Some people have different nicknames for McDonald’s like, Mickey D’s, McDirts, Macas and more.

McDonald’s also has a mascot: Ronald McDonald. He dresses up like a scary clown and a lot of people are really scared of him.

When me and my friends always try to go to another place to eat we always end up going to McDonald’s because it has a lot of different locations and it’s never too far from anywhere we go so that’s how they get the popularity from being so famous.

At McDonald’s you can also collect points from your visits and can earn free food and that’s how McDonald’s really knows how to advertise and get a lot of people to go there.

About three McDonald’s open a day and that’s how there are so many McDonald’s fast food restaurants around the world. The most popular McDonald’s, in Orlando, has an aquarium and an arcade and that’s how they get a lot of visitors and the popularity goes up everyday.

By: Samson Belihu

Hello, and today I will be talking about the ban of TikTok that’s GOING to happen in the U.S.

You may ask why the U.S. government wants to ban TikTok. Well, let me tell you.

The main concern that the U.S. recognizes is that TikTok collects a lot of data on users, including location, browsing history, and even device details and since it’s owned by a Chinese company, critics worry that this data could be shared with the Chinese government. The government could then use that information for spying or to influence American politics. Though TikTok denies sharing data with China, U.S. lawmakers point to China’s laws that could force companies to cooperate with the government. Many of the lawmakers are politicians, particularly from the Republican Party.

Another worry is that TikTok could spread fake news or propaganda, affecting elections or creating social unrest. Though TikTok has taken steps to try and stop the spread of misinformation, many U.S. lawmakers still see it as a national security threat.

The push for banning TikTok mainly comes from conservative politicians like Senators Josh Hawley, Marco Rubio, and others, who argue the app is a threat to national security. They worry that TikTok could be used for spying or spreading fake news for the Chinese government.

TikTok has been told to either sell to an American company, create a new U.S. controlled TikTok, or make sure they store all data safely and away from China. If they don’t do one of those things, they could face a ban in the U.S. The owner tried to file an appeal to the Supreme Court, but failed due to the concern of the information that could potentially be sent back and forth.

In my opinion I find myself stuck between both of their sides.

If TikTok is a way to sell people’s info to the Chinese government I find that troublesome, but I also think TikTok has become a way for people to express themselves and find support, and if it’s banned all of it will be taken away. People’s lives have been changed for the better due TikTok