TikTok is at an existential crossroads, facing an unprecedented global crackdown and a potential ban in the US – and TikTok creators are caught in the balance.
The platform is under bipartisan scrutiny over allegations that its parent company ByteDance is influenced by the government of China, where it is based. But those concerns have yet to dull the public’s enthusiasm – with the app more popular than ever and now surpassing 150m active users in the US.
The world of TikTok is unique and diverse, from people sharing videos of pets or conducting live ASMR shows, to building community around hobbies such as cooking and gardening. Creators have protested the ban outside Congress, saying it would diminish the ability to use TikTok to generate income, or as an educational and network-building tool.
So how are these creators feeling about this moment? We asked a range of people to describe their experience on the app and what will happen if it goes away.
Nathalie Adkins and her son, RJ
Handle: @natlivingselfcare
TikTok follower count: 53,300 followers
Primary content: A cooking vlog in which Nathalie’s 9-year-old son RJ Nathan Phillips tries recipes from different cultures, sharing the process and results.
How she and her son use TikTok: When I first got involved in TikTok, I was using it for information and tutorials. One day, my son said he wanted to make some noodles so I said, “OK, can I film you making some noodles?” It got such rave reviews, I started posting every time he cooks.
It really brought him out of his shell because he’s neurodivergent and he’s not very expressive. Since we started this journey, all of a sudden he wants to do commentary, he wants to dance, he wants to plan his next video. The contrast has been amazing.
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On how a ban would effect him: It would certainly hurt the the bottom line. But as a creator who uses multiple platforms, I won’t be as deeply impacted. It’s a great sandbox to play in, but the best content I make, I cross post.
On the wider impact: I think the content creation style of TikTok will ultimately migrate to other platforms. People have assumed [the action against TikTok] has been a result of Meta lobbying – but I think YouTube will actually be the main benefactor.
Who knows? Maybe a US-based copycat will pop up in TikTok’s place and we will be back where we started. People are going to be enraged for a few weeks like they are with any major issue. The question is: what they will do about it?
Alexis Devine and Bunny the Dog
Handle: @whataboutbunny
TikTok follower count: 8.3m
Primary content: Bunny the dog communicates with her caretakers using buttons that convey objects, ideas and feelings.
How she uses TikTok: I started a TikTok account in early 2020 to document the success my dog Bunny was having communicating with programmable buttons. Developing an audience on TikTok happened very quickly and led to the development of a much larger community of humans using buttons to enable alternative methods of communication with their animal companions.
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On how a ban would effect them: TikTok is more about community. I’ve met so many interesting people on TikTok with similar interests to me that I would have never met on Facebook or Instagram. If it disappeared, it would be really sad because I would lose a lot of friends overnight.
On the wider impact: People are resilient – they will congregate somewhere else. There are 150m US users and that is going to give people a lot of idle time – it will be interesting to see what they will do with it. I think this will create more of a push for reform.
Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.
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