In brief
As the United States approaches a potential ban on TikTok, creators, educators, and influencers weigh the impacts this could have on their livelihoods and the cultural outreach they provide. Among them is Erika Thompson, a Texas beekeeper with over 11 million followers, who views the app as a crucial medium for teaching about beekeeping.
TikTok, the platform used by 170 million Americans, has become the preferred avenue for content creation, allowing creators to achieve “overnight” success. This success has not come without controversy, as lawmakers have raised concerns regarding user data and ties to the Chinese government. Now that the ban seems imminent, creators express grave concerns about losing a primary platform necessary for their income and education efforts. With TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, facing pressure to divest its ownership, the future of the app hangs in the balance. While some creators try to migrate to alternatives like the newly popular RedNote, many believe that TikTok’s unique algorithm and viral potential are unmatched. Despite creators hoping for a revival or workaround, the looming deadline casts uncertainty over the fate of TikTok in the US market.Erika Thompson reflects on what might be lost beyond the monetary aspect, emphasizing the educational void that could arise. "That's the loss we will certainly feel as a society," she said.
