A TikTok Ban is Looming in the US: What Does This Mean For Creators?
A TikTok Ban is Looming in the US: What Does This Mean For Creators?
As TikTok faces a potential ban in the U.S., creators rush to rebuild their brands on other social media platforms.
The United States’ tech war with China came to a head last month.
On April 20, President Biden signed a law to potentially ban TikTok, a short-form video social media app, within the next year. The law gives Chinese parent company, ByteDance, 12 months to sell its stake in TikTok to a new approved buyer, or else face being banned in the U.S.
This motion culminated ongoing concerns about the Chinese government accessing sensitive user data through the app.
However, TikTok fired back.
On May 7, ByteDance filed a lawsuit against Congress, stating the law passed in April singles out TikTok and is an attack on free speech.
The ban marks the first time in history that the U.S. has motioned a ban on a single social media company. In its lawsuit, ByteDance pointed to its “unique online community,” amassing more than 1 billion people worldwide, suggesting Americans would be unfairly barred from participating in it.
As this back and forth unfolds before us, with ByteDance gearing up to stay put, free speech advocates fighting against infringement and dedicated TikTok users biting their fingernails, the clock is ticking for the app’s creators.
TikTok is home to tens of thousands of influencers who make a living through their videos. Income flows through brand partnerships, sponsored content, plugs on TikTok Shop, and the app’s Creator Fund. Beyond influencers, many businesses, including small businesses, use the app to market their products and services.
If the app disappears, will their careers take a hit or even disappear with it? In the face of uncertainty, creators are beginning to pivot.
Some TikTok influencers have been urging their followers to jump ship with them to another social media platform if or when the ban takes course.
Luckily, large creator economies exist on other platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat. According to YouTube’s website, the platform’s creator economy generated more than $35 billion in 2022. (In fact, we shared an analysis on the success rates and monetization opportunities for creators on YouTube in a recent article if you want to learn more.)
However, even some of TikTok’s most popular creators have considerably smaller followings on other apps, and some creators will need to rebuild their personal brands from scratch.
Moving a business from one platform to another is not an easy feat. Beyond losing the portion of their income that comes from their TikTok profile, creators may need to rebuild the sense of dialogue and community that they have fostered within their base of followers.
Some TikTok creators have adopted a multi-platform approach, taking advantage of the rise in social media marketing and the creator economy in recent years. However, those slower to the punch are only beginning to migrate to other sites. As Congress’ TikTok ban comes closer to fruition, thousands of influencers await the impact on their careers.
With the outcome of ByteDance’s lawsuit hanging in the balance, the size of this impact is uncertain. It may either be a massive economic loss, or lead to the rise of new and booming apps. For now, social media users can expect to see an influx of creators onto other platforms.
Best,
Fiona for the Don’t Count Us Out Yet Team
For Further Information:
 | A guest post by
|