[TikTok Users Panic as App Set to Shut Down Amid US-China Tensions
TikTok users are scrambling to save their favorite videos and content as the app is set to “go dark” on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. ET, following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a ban on the app over concerns about its ties to China.
Many users are coming to terms with the idea that their time on the app might be coming to a close, with some creating recaps and compilations of viral moments from as far back as 2018. Entertainment companies like Lionsgate and employees running company TikTok accounts are also saying goodbye, with some joking about having to break the news to their bosses.
When the TikTok ban was first passed last year, there was some wiggle room to avoid or delay the ban, but ByteDance, TikTok’s China-based parent company, has repeatedly said it won’t sell the app. The White House has said it’s passing the baton to the incoming Trump administration to enforce the ban or grant a one-time, 90-day extension.
President Trump told NBC News on Saturday that he would “most likely” grant TikTok a 90-day extension to give ByteDance more time to sell. However, many creators are holding out hope that the app will come back in some way, with some expressing frustration about the lack of transparency surrounding the ban.
Some creators are worried about the loss of income, with one teacher earning as much as $11,700 in January 2024 and as little as $1,600 in August. Others believe a new app will eventually replace TikTok if the ban lasts, but there’s no guarantee followers will migrate to another app for their favorite creators.
As the clock ticks down to the app’s shutdown, creators are scrambling to find alternative platforms to share their content and connect with their followers.
Source link
