Your favorite app might be banned, but Rather than panic, some TikTok users said they are unfazed.
NBC News reported this week, citing a source close to the company, that the Biden administration is threatening to potentially ban TikTok in the US if the app’s Chinese owners refuse to sell their stakes. When asked about the threat by NBC News, a handful of young users shared a similar sentiment: They’re not taking it seriously.
The response online appears to be less severe than when then-President Donald Trump and his administration launched a ban.
“This same thing happened a while back,” Haley Kowtko, 19, of California, said via text message. “Not a lot of people talk about it, especially on the app. I have not seen anything about the possible ban of the application.
That’s not to say that some people aren’t reacting to the app. The #DontBanTikTok hashtag had more than 93.2 million views, with some videos dating back to 2020 and others uploaded this week after. Biden Administration Move Reports. A TikTok spokesperson confirmed Friday that a handful of creators are planning an off-app protest in Washington, DC, for Wednesday, hoping to drive their concerns to the Biden administration’s doorstep.
But the current sentiment among users serves as a stark contrast to the Trump administration’s previously proposed ban. At the time, one creator said that he had «never seen so many people talking about one thing on the app for so long.»
“I think because we all freaked out before and nothing happened, nobody takes it seriously,” Kowtko said.
Jacqueline Metzger, 17, said she was «a bit surprised» when she heard about the possible ban. But she said losing TikTok would likely make way for another new platform or make an existing platform more popular, just as TikTok filled the void left by the old short-form video app Vine.
“If TikTok is banned, someone will come up with an alternative. There are already so many TikTok alternatives, like YouTube clips and Instagram reels,” Metzger said. «It’s everywhere, so I’m not too worried about it.»
This time around, there’s also less fear among creators: some have already branched out beyond TikTok to expand their following.
“I don’t see this happening anytime soon or on the near-term horizon, and creators since 2020 have been very smart to be on multiple platforms and make short-form videos in multiple different places,” said Mae Karwowski, founder and CEO of the influencer marketing agency Obviously. «It’s less damaging than the opening story of 2020.»
He said the mood among users and content creators on TikTok is currently «cautiously optimistic.»
I think the app will be available one way or another. I just don’t think it’s owned by ByteDance.
Gigi Robinson, 24, Gen Z content creator and motivational public speaker
TikTok creator Marcus DiPaola, who has amassed 3.8 million followers, said he saw waves of panic among creators who feared losing their platform.
DiPaola, known for posting videos about current events, said he had seen «countless TikToks» of creators urging followers to subscribe to their other platforms, in case the platform went under. However, DiPaola said that he is among the crowd of less concerned users.
“I’m on a lot of platforms,” he said. «If TikTok is banned, it would suck, but I’m not screwed.»
Others on the app said they aren’t worried because they think TikTok could be sold to a US-based company, meaning it wouldn’t go away entirely.
“I’m not really worried at all,” said Gigi Robinson, 24, a Gen Z content creator and motivational public speaker.
She referred to when Microsoft was on the run to acquire TikTok when Trump tried to ban the app.
“I think the app will be available one way or another,” he said. «I just don’t think it’s owned by ByteDance.»