Check out the Reason Why Advertisers and Content Creators in the US are Concerned
From content creators to firms and advertisers, TikTok has become an essential tool for online marketing and monetizing social media reach. This is why the possibility of a ban on the platform in the US has prompted creators to express concerns about a dire threat to both individuals' livelihoods and the fundamental right to freedom of speech. If President Joe Biden enacts the bill into law, TikTok would be mandated to sever ties with ByteDance and undergo acquisition by a US company within six months, or else it will be shut down.
i can’t stress enough how a tiktok ban is never about protecting our privacy - if that was the case, facebook would’ve been banned years ago - it’s about controlling what we see and keeping us in line. https://t.co/e7A1ok2QPm
— zeek 💎 (@superboysbestie) March 12, 2024
"Before you go jump to conclusions and go 'Boohoo a 25-year-old dancing with a shampoo bottle’s gotta get a real job,' being an influencer is a fraction of what income is created on these apps," TikTok creator Freddie Smith, an Orlando, Florida-based realtor with 530,000 followers, said in a video.
"There are so many important things happening on this app. I’m waiting to hear Congress talk about how this would take away millions of jobs," he said.
If passed, the bill wouldn't have an immediate impact on other apps owned by foreign entities, including various Chinese apps that are perceived to pose risks to Americans. Furthermore, it wouldn't prevent American social media companies from selling user data to foreign entities or third-party data brokers.
V. Spehar, recognized by their 3.1 million followers on TikTok as Under The Desk News, voiced apprehension regarding anti-trust laws potentially hindering major American social media companies from acquiring TikTok.
"If they can’t do it in that timeline, then they wouldn’t have access to the app anymore to update it. So Congress is effectively banning the app by breaking it," he said in a video.
Spehar, renowned for delivering short news updates, was among the 20 creators invited to the White House in September 2022 as part of the Biden administration’s celebration of the Inflation Reduction Act. They also participated in a rally in March 2023 in Washington, D.C., where numerous creators called on lawmakers to "keep TikTok alive."
Several creators and small business owners have utilized the #KeepTikTok hashtag in videos, urging against a potential ban.
Jonathan Chanti, president of Viral Nation Talent, emphasized the importance for creators to diversify their content and maintain a presence across multiple platforms. He suggested that the threat of a ban could serve as a "wake-up call" for some aspiring creators.
"I would say to aspiring creators, 'Don’t be intimidated by any potential challenges that may come.' Instead, just continue to invest in your content on YouTube Shorts and on Meta, with Instagram, and on Snapchat. There’s fortunately multiple avenues to create amazing awareness with audiences," he advised.
Lead sponsor of the TikTok bill, Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) admits the real reason they're rushing to ban TikTok -- because it's "becoming the dominant news platform for Americans under 30" and the US government doesn't control it like other platforms pic.twitter.com/MQcD3PQd51
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) March 13, 2024
"We’re talking about actively hurting a section of the U.S. economy. I’ve seen mom-and-pop shops go from chapter 11 to thriving because of the people and content that TikTok has platformed," said another TikToker named Lucas.
Lucas and others expressed concerns that the bill could lead to censorship of first-person perspectives, noting the educational value derived from such content.
Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., shared in a TikTok video that he voted "no" on the ban, citing concerns about free speech. He deemed it "un-American" to ban speech out of fear.