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TikTok, one of the world's most popular social networks, is being used by Americans to fund healthcare
O TikTok, which has taken the world by storm with its short, viral videos, is becoming an unexpected tool for funding medical expenses in the United States. Creators of content Americans with small to medium numbers of followers have been using the Creator Rewards Program to monetize views and comments, seeking to pay off debts and finance health treatments.
One example that caught attention was a post by a mother who uses the platform to raise funds for the treatment of Elijah, her son with a serious health problem.
In a video with over 3 million views, the caption appeals: “You stay and watch this video for 5 seconds to help pay your medical bills".
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Americans love Tiktok
This trend isn’t isolated. Creators with more than 10 followers and at least 100 views in the last 30 days qualify for the platform’s rewards program.
TikTok pays out an average of $1 per 1.000 views on videos longer than a minute. So viewers can contribute by simply watching, liking, or commenting, without the need for direct donations.
For many families, this monetization represents a chance to tackle exorbitant medical expenses.
Another mother, in a video with her baby, asks viewers to watch for five seconds to help pay medical bills. In the comments, one user shared: “This isn't me here, just letting this video play over and over again.".
According to studies, more than 14 million Americans have at least $1.000 in medical debt. The total amount of this debt amounts to a staggering $220 billion, with states like South Dakota, Mississippi, and North Carolina leading the charge.
End of the App in the United States?
A US appeals court on Friday (06) upheld the validity of a law that requires ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to sell the platform by January 2025.
Otherwise, the popular video app could be banned in the country, marking a significant setback for the Chinese company.
The legislation, signed into law by President Joe Biden, stipulates that TikTok must be divested by January 19, 2025, just one day before Donald Trump is expected to be inaugurated as president.
The move reflects national security concerns raised by suspicions that the app could allow the Chinese government to access sensitive data.
In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law is constitutional. The court rejected TikTok's claim that the legislation would violate the First Amendment, which protects free speech.
"The government acted only to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary and to limit that adversary's ability to collect data about people in the United States.”, the panel of judges said in the decision.
The law has strong bipartisan support in the US Congress.
