We need to save TikTok
Are you on TikTok? If not, chances are someone you know is. That’s because 150 million Americans, almost half the country’s population, use the app monthly.
You probably also know that TikTok sits under the sword of Damocles. The blade is set to fall on January 19, 2025.
Tiktok is not what you think it is
What shocks me is that still today people think TikTok is mostly a bunch of dance videos. And, sure in the wake of Wicked we’re seeing a lot of that again.
But the bread and butter of TikTok goes beyond synchronized two steps. TikTok is populated by:
Granfluencers — influencers of grandparenting age who have become sources of advice and wisdom for Gen Z
Professors and teachers— Casey Fiesler is an amazing information science professor helping people navigate this rapidly changing landscape. Taylor Cole Miller, aka @tvdoc, is a media studies professor and TV historian who provides context to media messages over time. Professor Hamilton gives advice about bullying and how to help your children protect themselves against it.
Book enthusiasts — #BookTok has been a huge boon to the publishing industry. Arguments have been made that the site’s influence is waning, but there can be no argument that it is an amazing site for book promotion. Just ask the Knitting Cult Lady, aka Daniella Mastanek Young author of the bestselling title Uncultured. Her book completely sold out this month.
This barely scratches the surface. I have met activists, artisans, amazing marketers, and courageous ex-vangelicals and ex-Mormons, all of whom have enriched my life in so many ways.
TikTok shop supports millions of small businesses
Content creators, who are not selling physical goods, have come to rely on money from TikTok from the Creator Fund.
The economic impact will be severe
More importantly, TikTok is awash with small businesses—and small business owners—trying to make a living. While corporations spent the last several decades cutting salaries and Silicon Valley joined the attack on the middle class by valorizing the gig economy, people struggled to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. TikTok has been a boon in that regard, and that all may soon be going away.
Here are some statistics:
In the first MONTH, businesses are expected to lose $1 BILLION
More than 7 million businesses use TikTok to promote their products
This number does not include the content creators who make money from posting on the app, which would be another $300 million dollars
If this money is not coming from TikTok, where is it going to come from? I am gobsmacked that Congress has not considered this in the calculation to eliminate TikTok—or they have and they don’t care, which is worse.
TikTok created commercials to show the app’s importance to business.
The TikTok Ban is Specious
The argument has been that the ban will protect Americans from manipulation by a foreign government, because ByteDance, a Chinese company, owns the app. I have argued against the TikTok ban since it gained traction a few years ago. Here’s why:
First, anything that Byte Dance might do cannot be any worse than what other social media companies have already done. Facebook’s infamous emotional contagion experiment manipulated hundreds of thousands of people without their knowledge. Meta suppressed political content leading into the 2024 election. Google gobbles up data at an astounding rate and influencers recommend people get off Google Chrome—NOW. For years the company claimed they would eliminate cookies, but recently decided against that. One can only wonder why because the company is certainly not explaining it. Really, could China do worse?
Second, we know that Russia has infiltrated our social media spaces with propaganda over the last 3 election cycles. Why aren’t we going after Russia"? And, certainly, Russia is not the only one.
Finally, TikTok is based in Singapore and Los Angeles. According to ByteDance, “60% of its shares are owned by non-Chinese investors such as U.S investment firms Carlyle Group and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Japan’s SoftBank Group. Employees own 20% and its founders the remaining 20%.” In short, ByteDance is Chinese; TikTok is not.
Let’s also not that other “American” companies are owned by Chinese interests, notably AMC, Motorola Mobility, and the Chicago Stock Exchange, to name a few.
Conspiracy theories abound as to why the ban is moving forward. I have no interest in engaging with those. What I do know is that I have not seen a solid argument for eliminating this platform that has given voice to the voiceless. Truly, don’t put a sock in my mouth and tell you care about the First Amendment.