Screenshot by Layal Srour.
President Donald Trump has made an executive order to ban the viral app in 45 days if the Chinese-parent company does not sell to an American company. If an American company does not buy TikTok, the app will be banned in America on Sept. 20. The reason for this TikTok ban is because President Trump says, “TikTok is a national security threat because of its owner,” but TikTok says the app has not shared U.S. information to the Chinese government.
In an article in the Washington Post, more information has came out on the decision to ban the viral video app. On Aug. 6, Trump signed an order that relies on “the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which prohibits any business or person in the United States to legally transact with TikTok.”
Although this order will result in the app to no longer being downloaded by users and will be taken off both Apple and Google stores, the users who currently have the app will still be allowed to use it. The only downfall about this aspect is that users will not get the app’s updates, which will eventually break down the app, causing it to not work anymore.
In a blog post sent out by Microsoft, they have confirmed their talk of possibly buying TikTok. In the blog post, Microsoft has said, “This new structure would build on the experience TikTok users currently love, while adding world-class security, privacy, and digital safety protections.”
TikTok began in 2018 when an app called Musical.ly, similar to TikTok, started in 2014 was bought out for $1 billion by a Chinese tech-company called ByteDance, which was already the owner of TikTok. By August 2018, ByteDance decided to merge both apps and go by TikTok. The app has over 800 million users with one-minute videos of dancing, comedy, lip-synching, etc. Currently, this app has users ranging from 18 and younger to 64 years old.
TikTok has been used as an opportunity by many people on the app to build a name for themselves and use their platform for both fun and as a way to spread positivity and highlight important social issues on their pages. Many of these users are now seen as social media influencers on the app and have created content houses just for those aspects of building a brand. The major content houses consist of Hype House, Sway House, ClubHouse, etc. The users within these content houses range from 18-23. With such a large following across all social media platforms for each of the content houses, as well as their individual pages, the TikTok ban will not help them grow their brand.
Since all the talk of the app possible getting banned, these influencers have began to turn to different networking opportunities while still on the app. For example, the Hype House has turned to reality television and are in the process of having their own show called The Hype Life. The show was approached by Wheelhouse Entertainment and is going to feature the members of the house and show both the business and content side to creating TikTok videos. The other content houses are in similar works but have not announced anything yet.
Photo via Instagram.
TikTok star Charli D’amelio, who is the most followed user on the app with over 80 million followers, has collaborated with Orosa beauty to create her own nail polish pack with her sister, is in talks of having her own reality show with her family and collaborated with Hollister jeans. Addison Rae, the second most followed with 56.1 million users, has collaborated with American Eagle, started a podcast with her mom and recently dropped her own makeup line called Item.
In light of the TikTok ban possibly going into effect, members of the Sway House have began posting more on another app called Triller, as well as using TikTok while it is still available. Josh Richards, one member of Sway House has been named chief strategy officer, while other members Griffin Johnson and Noah Beck have become part of the executive team. They are turning to Triller due to feeling more welcome as content creators and better user security. Triller is very similar to TikTok but they are “focused on bridging the gap between viral video and music streams, allowing users to pull full songs, not just 15 seconds as on TikTok from their personal playlists.” The app currently has 65 million users, but may increase if TikTok does get banned for U.S. users.
Photos via Instagram.
Megan Marley, junior early education major, said, “It makes me sad honestly because I go on TikTok so much and use it as a stress relief. However, I think it would be funny to see the hype house or other accounts similar to them as a reality show since they are around our age even younger.”
In an Instagram poll that I have created, out of 93 people who viewed the poll, 16 people said they will not get Triller, while two people said they would. The two that said they would get the app is mainly for entertainment purposes.
Alumna Michelle Guerin, digital communications and social media major, said, “With Reels on Instagram being the same as TikTok I wouldn’t try Triller. I feel like companies try to copy so similarly but can’t do it exactly the same so it isn’t as fun to use.”
Anna Schmader, junior digital communications and social media major, said, “I just hate Tik Tok in general so i wouldn’t ever intentionally download an app to replace it.”
The latest development is that the American tech company Oracle would partner with TikTok as a potential way to prevent the Trump administration allegations that TikTok is a national security threat. Prominent Republican senators are still fearful of even the partnership.
