With the recent TikTok ban looming over the United States, many users of the popular app have voiced their complaints, specifically the content creators who used the resource as a form of income. While many viewers love TikTok, the app has proven time and time again to be harmful and untrustworthy in the eyes of the government and anyone in the public who has done even a small amount of research.
Thousands of content creators and users of the app that are arguing against the ban, fail to see that a transition away from TikTok is a good thing. The fight against the ban has largely come from the creators and TikTok itself to form a lawsuit against the United States. Over the last couple of years government officials have been pushing to ban the ever popular app, TikTok, on grounds that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is a threat to national security given the company’s relationship with the Chinese government.
The United States and China have had a rocky relationship in the past couple of years, so it should not come as a surprise that a Chinese-owned company is seen as a threat. While the U.S Government cannot release the specific data collected through a recent investigation, the government has stated that the findings “lends further support” for the TikTok ban.
Though U.S. owned companies collect data as well, they pose a much smaller security threat compared to a country that does not have a stable relationship with the U.S. In the government’s eyes, China is more likely to use the data they collect to harm U.S. citizens than any other CEO of a U.S. owned company. So, the problem is not with TikTok collecting information, it is what they could possibly do with that information that raises concern.
Content creators and app users who push back on the ban do not seem to understand the United States’ argument against the app. Many content creators who use the app’s monetization as a steady source of income are a part of the suit against the ban, arguing that banning the app violates their 1st Amendment rights. Yet, with just a bit of research, creators could realize that the government’s widely publicized position is to ban the app for security reasons, not to “silence the public.” There are hundreds of other apps that content creators can use to express their opinions and maintain a freedom of speech. The U.S. does not care as long as the data the app collects does not go to China.
Not all content creators are pushing for the lawsuit; a majority have expressed worry for their financial situation when the ban comes into effect. This is a valid worry as some have left their full-time career to pursue content creation, but there are other social options to secure an income, like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, which provide the same features as TikTok but are owned by U.S. companies. Most of the revenue comes from brand deals, which can be posted on many other platforms.
This is also not the first time content creators have had to pivot to other apps. Many times before, big social media apps, like Vine and Musically, have been shut down due to bankruptcy and lack of interest and all the content creators on those apps had to move over to other platforms, too. Creators complaining that they will lose their following going to another app need to change their mindset. If creators are truly making good content, then a change in app should not affect their following.
TikTok users need to trust the hundreds of people who have governmental experience that had to approve this bill. Creators need to utilize their influence and explore other popular social media platforms to continue their livelihood. Hopefully, this time, it is an app that is not owned by China.
