TikTok creators nervous, angry as U.S. ban expected Jan. 19

A looming U.S. TikTok ban is causing anxiety and uncertainty for content creators who rely on the popular video app for their livelihoods. The ban, set to take effect on Jan. 19, has been the subject of intense debate, with Congress citing privacy concerns with Chinese parent company ByteDance as the reason for the ban. TikTok lawyers, on the other hand, argue that a ban would violate users’ free speech rights.

One such content creator feeling the impact of the potential ban is Washington, D.C.-based wedding stylist Kati Kons, who has built a following of over 23,000 followers on TikTok. Kons has expressed concern about losing her business, as 90 percent of her clients come from the app. She has been urging her followers to migrate to other platforms like Snapchat and Bluesky, but the transition has been challenging.

Similarly, Brooklyn-based comedian Nikita Redkar, who has nearly 800,000 followers on TikTok, believes that content creators are rightfully angry about the ban. She feels that the government’s decision to target TikTok is a way to control the narrative and is indicative of a disconnect between politicians and the American public.

The ban, if implemented, will see TikTok removed from app stores, affecting its 170 million American users. While President-elect Donald Trump has hinted at a possible reversal of the ban, the uncertainty looms large for creators like Redkar, who fear the impact on their revenue and creative freedom.

In anticipation of the ban, some TikTok creators have started migrating to alternative platforms like RedNote, a Chinese short-form video app gaining popularity in the U.S. However, there are concerns that RedNote could also face a ban for similar reasons as TikTok.

Despite the uncertainty, content creators like Joey Pittari, a Toronto-based model with 3.5 million TikTok followers, are trying to stay positive and continue creating content on other platforms. Pittari acknowledges that the ban could affect Canadian creators as well, given their American followers and brand deals.

As the Jan. 19 deadline approaches, content creators are grappling with the reality of a potential TikTok ban and the impact it could have on their careers. The community is hoping for a last-minute reprieve to give them more time to adjust and find alternative platforms to connect with their audiences.