Local social media influencers react to potential Tiktok ban in the U.S.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - One of the most popular social media apps in the country may be banned from being used in the U.S.

The Chinese-owned platform TikTok must find a new owner or be shut down following the passage of a bill that was signed by President Joe Biden this week.

Memphis TikTok users who spoke with Action News 5 say the ban could impact how they monetize their hustle.

“A lot of people don’t know that TikTok [pays] bills,” said Memphis Spotlight.

The man behind the Memphis Spotlight TikTok page, which has more than 32,000 followers said he started the page to showcase Memphis music and community positivity.

”I pull up on crime scenes. I get behind the scenes like the stuff they don’t show. I’ve only been on TikTok for 45 days and a lot of stuff has already gone, viral my viral moment is the one with you in it,” said Memphis Spotlight.

Some of his videos reach over a million views and thousands of dollars.

That’s what made “I am Ashunti Slay” rethink being in a classroom and pursue TikTok full-time.

”So not only do I get paid from TikTok, I know people will say like you get paid for the thing, but the platform opens up so that way you can sell your own products, and you can be brought in that ass bag like I started selling e-books, classes, Online shop for people, without TikTok I wouldn’t be able to do that like reach as many people,” said Ashunti Gardener.

But that opportunity for TikTok users can all change after President Joe Biden signed a bill Wednesday—giving the Chinese-owned app nine months to sell or shut usage in the U.S.

This comes after years of security concerns over China potentially gathering data on 170 million Americans who use the social media platform—TikTok plans to fight back.

But in the meantime, Memphis content creators are coming up with a plan B.” Right now, what I’m trying to do if they were to shut down all my TikTok traffic, I’m trying to get it over to YouTube right now,” said Memphis Spotlight.

According to the legislation, President Biden can extend the deadline by ninety days if he determines the parent company Byte Dance has made progress toward a sale.

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