TikTok shutdown in the US leaves content creators on alert. Learn how the possible ban of TikTok, scheduled for January 19, impacts the country.
The countdown to TikTok’s shutdown in the US, set for January 19, isn’t just shocking news for the tech industry, it’s also reshaping the future of thousands of content creators who rely on the app as their primary source of income. With over a billion global users, TikTok is an essential platform for creators, but now they’re facing a dilemma that goes beyond content. Here are the details on TikTok’s ban in the country.
Impact of TikTok's US shutdown on influencers
TikTok, operated by the Chinese giant ByteDance, has been the subject of controversy since the US government began an offensive to limit the autonomy of Chinese companies in the country.
The situation escalated in April 2024, when Joe Biden signed a law requiring the company responsible to sell the app or remove it from US app stores. So far, negotiations remain at a legal impasse, with the Supreme Court weighing in on the issue.
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With TikTok banned, influencers like Jack Nader, 21, and Danisha Carter, 27, have already started building their followings on other platforms, according to CNBC. Nader, who has amassed more than 500 followers on TikTok, says it took him a year and a half to build your base and now you are starting from scratch.
For many creators, like Carter, TikTok is not just a video platform. It has changed their lives and businesses. It is much more than just an app. While some are opting to migrate to Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, others are turning to alternative platforms like Patreon to diversify their income. For creators, the key is adaptation.
TikTok's end in the US makes way for other platforms
TikTok’s demise in the US opens up an avenue of opportunities for giants like YouTube and Meta, which could benefit from the gap left by TikTok. Experts estimate that up to half of the Chinese platform’s advertising investments could be redistributed, benefiting competitors. It is worth mentioning that, in India, after TikTok was banned in 2020, the growth of competitors was impressive.
DMi Partners, a digital marketing firm, is helping creators navigate this uncertain time by offering strategies to maximize reach across multiple platforms and avoid penalties from TikTok itself for promoting rival platforms.
Even in the face of uncertainty, influencers like Nealie Boschma, who has more than 2 million followers on TikTok, are optimistic: Whatever the outcome, Boschma says she has found her niche on other platforms.
Can Elon Musk buy TikTok?
With TikTok's US shutdown, Chinese authorities are considering an option that involves selling TikTok's US subsidiary to the businessman Elon Musk if the social network is unable to avoid a ban.
According to information from the Bloomberg news agency, which cites interlocutors familiar with the matter, Beijing authorities still prefer that the app remain under the control of ByteDance, however, the US Supreme Court justices have already signaled during hearings on January 10 that they will probably maintain the law.
Senior Chinese officials had already begun discussing contingency plans for TikTok as part of a broader discussion about how to work with the Trump administration. A deal with one of its biggest allies would appeal to the Chinese government, which is likely to influence what is done with the ByteDance subsidiary, according to Bloomberg.