How a TikTok ban could disrupt Houston's creators
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The future of accessing TikTok in the U.S. will be decided by the Supreme Court any moment now. So far, the justices seem inclined to uphold a bipartisan law that would ban the app as soon as Sunday.
Why it matters: The ban would remove the wildly popular short-form video app, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, from Google and Apple app stores.
- Beyond disappointing devoted users, the move would also disrupt influencers' multibillion-dollar creator economy.
Zoom in: TikTok has helped many Houstonians build careers and income streams through commissions and sponsorships on the app, while offering viewers relatable content, from finding new restaurants and places to visit to learning about community issues and following creators casually sharing their everyday lives.
Houston creator Raymonte Cole, known for filming his life and complimenting strangers, tells Axios that TikTok allows him to share his life and thoughts without the "pressure of having a perfectly curated aesthetic or feed."
- As he posted more, his account gained traction. He now has over 2.7 million followers, which he says gave him financial freedom and the chance to pursue creative projects.
What they're saying: "TikTok has allowed me to create a life for myself that I've always dreamed of," Cole says.
- "If TikTok does get banned, my income would definitely take a hit, but more than that, it's the community I've built that I'd miss the most. I'm grateful for the connections and opportunities this platform has brought me," he says, adding that he's not going anywhere — his followers have also connected with him on Instagram and through his podcast.
By the numbers: TikTok has a stunning 170 million users in the U.S., and just 32% of Americans support a ban, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
- TikTok contributed more than $2 billion dollars to Texas' economy in 2023, according to a company-paid report released last April.
State of play: TikTok will not instantly disappear from a device where it's already downloaded. But ByteDance won't be able to issue updates to the app — eventually rendering it useless.
- The app could go dark more quickly if Oracle decides to immediately stop hosting TikTok's massive video library.
- TikTok will not be accessible from an internet browser in the U.S. unless a user employs a VPN.
Follow the users: Some TikTok users and creators are already flocking to other social media apps like Xiaohongshu, known as RedNote in English, and Lemon8, based on Axios' review of some newly trending apps.
Catch up quick: The push to ban TikTok in the U.S. stems from the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, signed into law last April by President Biden.
- The law mandates that ByteDance sell the app by Jan. 19 or face a ban. It gave TikTok up to a year to find an approved buyer for the U.S. version of the app.
- The law stems from the U.S. government's national security concerns over the company's ties to China, including the spread of misinformation and espionage.
- ByteDance has contested this law, arguing that forced divestment is unconstitutional and infringes on First Amendment rights.
What's next: President-elect Trump during his first term led initial efforts to ban the app in the U.S. But he's indicated more recently that he's open to trying to save it.
Go deeper: TikTok Supreme Court takeaways