The future of TikTok is dark
A column about why TikTok temporarily shut down services in the U.S. yesterday and how its survival relies on cozying up to President-Elect Trump.
TikTok went dark yesterday after The Supreme Court upheld the federal government’s ban on the platform, cutting off a vital revenue stream for over 7 million small businesses, creators, independent journalists, and the 170 million Americans who used it for enjoyment and education.
"This ban is so irresponsible and reckless," creator Bryan Edelman known as Bran Flakezz told Mashable while emphasizing the countless people who rely on the app for their livelihoods. "If this app is banned, I'll use it every single minute I have until it goes away. "I’m living in delusion, I guess. I won’t stress about it until I open the app, and it won't open."
However, many users remain hopeful this closure is just a temporary setback after President-Elect Trump, who is set to take office on Monday, said he would "save" TikTok, despite leading the charge to ban it during his presidency. Trump announced earlier today via Truth Social that he intends to delay the ban by 60 to 90 days, which he can only do if a sale to a U.S. company is making progress. After his remarks, TikTok said it would restore its U.S. services.
But there is a chance the TikTok users know and love won’t be the same after today.
On the surface, a sale seems like the only solution left, but if sold to a right-wing conservative billionaire, it could transform TikTok into a propaganda machine similar to what other major social media platforms are becoming.
X, as we covered during the election, has evolved into a right-wing tool for spreading misinformation. Meanwhile, Meta recently announced plans to scale back fact-checking efforts and protections for marginalized communities, citing a ‘cultural shift’ following the recent presidential election. Both owners, billionaire Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are donors to Trump’s inauguration fund.
(Credit: Mark Zuckerberg via Storyful)
A TikTok sale could jeopardize the platform’s free-flowing algorithm, which is the engine behind its ability to elevate small businesses and creators to success. It could signal the end of free political expression and the vibrant diversity that has defined the platform.
There is no doubt that TikTok faces an uncertain future threatened by overreach and the growing influence of a conservative, right-wing monopoly on social media. TikTok’s constant thanking of President-Elect Trump in its recent statements is evidence of this. In fact, its CEO, Shou Zi Chew, also plans to attend President-Elect Trump’s inauguration and has personally thanked Trump in his recent TikTok videos, emulating similar language to TikTok’s recent statements.
For now, the legal battle to save TikTok is on, but the question remains: what will it look like if it survives? What if it stays afloat while bending the knee to President-Elect Trump?
“This should not have happened in the first place,” Kyle Rock, a 27-year-old social media manager told TUT. “But I fear that if there is a sale under the Trump administration, it could jeopardize the beauty of this platform. I don’t want it to become like X. I don’t want it to become like Meta is now. I want it to remain the same but them cozying up to Trump could change everything.”