Local content creators concerned about looming TikTok ban; make shift to other apps
The clock is ticking for TikTok. The Supreme Court upheld a ban Friday that could make the popular platform go dark in the U.S. by Sunday.
It's a tough time for some content creators and influencers of the most widely used app in the world, with more than 170 million users in the U.S. alone.
"I was just kind of posting for fun. Going on to TikTok to see what my daughter was doing, and soon as COVID started we were posting a little bit more, and couple videos took off, here we are today," said David Ogleton of Devon, Pennsylvania.
Also known as @FitDadCEO, Ogleton says content creation became his full-time job in 2020.
He's amassed more than 1.3 million followers, with content centered around family humor, dad jokes and Philadelphia sports talk.
With the ban looming, he's had to make a strategic change.
"I had already pivoted to other platforms during my rise with TikTok, it just, I knew something like this could possibly happen," said Ogleton. "A lot of businesses and content creators who don't have the ability to just pivot now to something else."
TikTokkers like Ashley Jones (@AshleyFratt) say they are losing hope.
"It hasn't even been a month and I've doubled ny entire teacher salary," said Jones, of Northeast Philadelphia. "Saturday will be a month since I monetized. My first video went viral on December 6."
Jones is worried about the potential loss of income after gaining 50,000 followers for her relatable teaching and mom videos.
Unlike Ogleton, she had not been successful in crossover success on other social media platforms.
"Within the last week I've been trying to shift to YouTube and Instagram, but the vibe isn't the same. The monetization isn't the same. This was supposed to be my life-changing year, now it's not going to be," said Jones.
When it comes to social media and apps, local IT experts say this ban could set a precedent.
"The influence that we have and control countries can gain through the digital world is very concerning now," says Anthony DeSanto, Director of Governance and Compliance, MCIT.
With Trump taking office Monday, everyone is now looking to him to see what the future holds. He says he needs time to review the situation and will issue a decision in the near future.
