Whelp. It Was Good While It Lasted.
The United States Supreme Court has upheld the impending ban on TikTok, the video-based social media platform, leaving U.S. scrollers with few options that aren’t owned by Meta. TikTok skyrocketed to prominence in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, as creatives everywhere looked for a place to connect and continue doing the work they loved. Now, it looks like we’ve got 44 days left to enjoy our FYP. The federal appeals court has ruled that banning TikTok doesn’t violate the First Amendment rights of U.S. citizens. Wondering why we can’t have nice things? The answer seems to be: “Because politics and innovation don’t get along, and innovation is what gets the axe.”
Here’s the short version: TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, must sell off TikTok’s U.S. operations by January 19, 2025, or the app goes poof for American users. The rationale? The U.S. government fears that a Chinese-based company having access to our data is a Big Bad. TikTok planned to appeal the decision, but here we are—facing a future where the app will soon be banned from Google and Apple marketplaces. Isn’t it grand?
TikTok has always been more than just cats and fun dancing videos. Access to a social media platform outside the Metaverse has been a huge boon for creatives and small business owners who can’t afford the “pay-to-play” visibility game on U.S.-based platforms. Many content creators rely on TikTok as their primary source of income, and now they have a little over a month to find another way to keep the lights on. TikTok’s wild popularity in the U.S. enabled creators and small businesses to leverage the platform to make ends meet. Now they’re learning that even the most successful platforms can fall, leaving them without a safety net.
So, what can you do as the countdown to a TikTok-less U.S. ticks on?
- Back up your content. If you’ve created anything on TikTok that isn’t stored elsewhere—tutorials, drafts, or even your favorite videos—download them ASAP. The last thing you want is to spend January 18 frantically chained to your phone charger.
- Explore alternative platforms. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to check out Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat, and other platforms that support video content.
- Diversify your digital presence. If you’re a creator or business owner, remember: putting all your marketing eggs in one basket is risky. The TikTok ban is proof that even massive platforms aren’t guaranteed to last.
TikTok’s saga in U.S. politics is a sobering reminder that even the most beloved social media platforms are subject to forces beyond their control. While there’s still a slim chance that ByteDance might sell TikTok’s U.S. operations, it’s better to adapt now and be prepared for the worst. If the clock app really disappears at midnight on January 19, 2025, at least we’ll have learned one thing from TikTok: how to dance. Let’s waltz over to a new platform, shall we?