‘One of a kind’: How TikTok users in US are bracing for impending ban

TikTok users in the US appear to be split on how to process an upcoming Supreme Court decision ruling on the platform’s future with incredulity, resignation and humour.

The US Supreme Court is weighing TikTok’s challenge to a law mandating its sale or ban over fears of Chinese government access to sensitive user data.

The legislation, signed by US President Joe Biden, demands ByteDance divest from TikTok by January 19. Lawmakers cite risks of espionage, misinformation, and content manipulation as key concerns. TikTok denies the allegations, asserting its independence from ByteDance.

If the Court rules against the platform ByteDance will be required to sell TikTok to a US-owned firm or face a nationwide ban. ByteDance’s lawyer emphasised that a forced sale is unworkable, given China’s likely opposition, leaving TikTok’s future in legal and political limbo.

Speculation about potential buyers includes investors led by Steven Mnuchin, private equity firms, and billionaire Frank McCourt. Critics warn the forced sale could harm America’s stance on a free and open internet.

The ban could take effect on January 19 unless ByteDance sells TikTok or the Supreme Court rules otherwise.

However, TikTok won’t vanish overnight.

This court ruling could disrupt a platform critical to 170 million monthly American users, some of whom are entrepreneurs and creators.

The ban would target app stores, barring Apple and Google from distributing or updating the app, with penalties for noncompliance.

A ban would prevent new downloads and updates, but existing users could continue using the app until it becomes obsolete.

Bypassing restrictions via VPNs is unlikely, as Apple and Google tie download servers to the country of account origin.

Transcendental TikTok

TikTok’s explosive growth during the pandemic transformed it into a lifeline for small businesses and creators.

Its algorithm drove massive exposure for entrepreneurs, many of whom attribute their success to the platform.

“I've been full-time on TikTok,” Taylor Byrne, content creator, 23, told TRT World. “TikTok has definitely the best opportunities money-wise for creators.”

Known for her videos on thrifty shopping and local exploration, Byrne says TikTok has supported her financially for two years.

According to TikTok’s estimates, in one month, the ban could cost 7 million small businesses $1 billion in revenue in addition to some 2 million creators who stand to lose $300 million.

TikTok creators tapped into a user market that enjoyed watching satisfying videos of food being cooked, slime being toyed with or crushable soaps disintegrating – profiting off it.

TikTok was also lauded for fostering opportunities for creators of colour and marginalized groups. Countless entrepreneurs owe overnight success or popularity to TikTok and its algorithm for giving them exposure they were not receiving on other platforms.

The potential economic fallout from a ban is significant. Many creators rely entirely on TikTok for their income, having left traditional jobs to pursue full-time careers on the app.

TikTok refugees

“Since November, I’ve been repurposing my TikToks for other platforms,” Byrne said. “But I’m not sure they’ll offer the same opportunities as TikTok.”Adapting to alternative platforms is a daunting challenge. Mastering TikTok’s algorithm has become a unique skill that may not translate easily elsewhere.

A one-month TikTok shutdown could cause the platform to lose a third of its daily US users, according to court filings. But where will they go?

Over half a million users are migrating to other apps, including Xiaohongshu, or “Little Red Book,” or “Red Note,” which has surged in popularity.

These self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees” have propelled the app to the top of Apple’s download charts. Meanwhile, creators are urging their followers to join them on YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook.

Analysts expect Instagram and YouTube to benefit financially if TikTok leaves the US market.

Byrne says she and other creators began pivoting platforms in November “when we first started hearing about the potential of this ban going through.”

Byrne – and many other creators – are all too aware that TikTok is one of the challenges posed in migrating. They fear it will take months—or longer—to rebuild their audiences and income streams.

“TikTok is one of a kind,” Byrne said. “It could take me months, at minimum, to get back to where I was—and that’s if I get lucky.”

A cultural shift

TikTok isn’t just an app; it’s a cultural hub. Subcommunities like BookTok, FoodTok, and CleanTok have thrived, creating a vibrant ecosystem of shared interests. The app’s unique algorithm, which tailors content to specific niches, has no equal.

TikTok also revolutionised meme culture and became a launchpad for emerging artists. It revived old trends, songs, and sounds, giving them new life with Gen Z audiences.

A single phrase— “My money don’t jiggle, jiggle, it folds”—is enough to transport users back to 2022, a reminder of TikTok’s indelible impact.

The looming ban threatens to fragment these communities. Despite efforts to find alternatives, no platform replicates TikTok’s algorithmic magic.

For now, TikTok users are bracing for change, unsure whether they’ll find a home elsewhere.

“With the social media economy we have right now outside of TikTok, I’ll miss the connection it offers,” Byrne said.