The popular social media app, TikTok, is facing a Content Creators Blast a Potential TikTok Ban in the United States, causing an uproar among its vast community of content creators. The House is preparing for a vote on bipartisan legislation that could lead to the ban of TikTok, an app with an estimated 170 million users in the United States alone.
The Impact on Content Creators
The idea of a potential ban has angered thousands of content creators who rely on the website as their main source of revenue. Two years ago, a unique Minnesota ‘salad’ recipe uploaded by Amber Estenson, a content creator popularly known as ‘That Midwestern Mom’, gained viral attention on TikTok. With a million followers on TikTok, Estenson expressed her concerns about the potential U.S. ban, calling the site her “lifeline” and stating, “A ban is unrealistic and absurd. For me, it would mean a loss of income … It would mean I would lose a million followers “.
Other TikTokers make charitable contributions using their site. William McCoy, a former heroin dealer who was born in Baltimore, goes by the name Izzy White.
He said that he helps the needy in his neighborhood by using his platform.
“Without TikTok, basically all the mouths that I feed every day wouldn’t get fed every day,” McCoy said.
The Legislation and National Security Concerns
Legislators from both parties have backed a plan that would compel ByteDance, the parent firm of TikTok, which is based in China, to sell the app within six months of the law’s passage.
or face a nationwide ban. Republicans and Democrats alike are concerned about national security in light of China’s ownership of the app.
A prohibition is not the solution to this specific problem, according to Columbia University human rights lawyer Jameel Jaffer. Other platforms besides TikTok gather similar data.
The information is gathered by numerous other platforms, including American ones, and is subsequently sold to data brokers who resell it to foreign governments, according to Jaffer.
Current Restrictions and TikTok’s Response
At the moment, federal and state employees of government entities are mainly prohibited from using TikTok on equipment provided by the government. Montana was the first state to outlaw the app on any personal device in May of 2023. Nevertheless, before the law’s prohibition could go into effect, a judge stopped it in November 2023.
The state has since appealed the decision.
Although TikTok insists that it now stores user data from Americans through a different, U.S.-based company than ByteDance, the guarantee hasn’t been sufficient to persuade many of
the platform’s skeptics.
Public Response Content Creators Blast a Potential TikTok Ban
On March 12, 2024, TikTok creators, business owners, and supporters held a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. to express their concerns over the proposed legislation. They held signs in support of TikTok, demonstrating the strong community that has been built around the platform.
The Ingredients of Virality
Amber Estenson, also known as “That Midwestern Mom,” went viral on TikTok two years ago when she uploaded a video of her making a quirky Minnesota “salad” with ingredients like Snickers bars, apples, Jell-O, and Cool Whip. This video made her a viral sensation and helped her gain a million followers on TikTok.
A Platform for Change
William McCoy, a former heroin dealer who was born in Baltimore, goes by the name Izzy White.
He helps local homeless individuals by using his TikTok platform. He expressed concern that without TikTok, he wouldn’t be able to feed the people he helps every day.
Conclusion
As the House gears up for a vote, the future of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is the significant impact this decision will have on the millions of content creators who have found a home, a livelihood, and a platform for change on TikTok. In this article I write about The popular social media app, TikTok, is facing a Content Creators Blast a Potential TikTok Ban in the United States.
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