On March 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill seeking to force the Chinese company that owns TikTok, ByteDance, to let go of the popular app due to security concerns with foreign-owned apps. According to the bill, if the Senate passes it and if ByteDance does not give up ownership of the app within six months, the government will ban TikTok in the United States. This bill has been controversial and has raised various concerns including that a major form of entertainment could be taken away. However, the biggest concern with this potential ban on TikTok is the futures of those who increasingly rely on the app as a job or marketing opportunity. 

Although it may seem that TikTok is just a silly app where kids post whatever they want, it has actually been very beneficial to the United States economy and has opened up career opportunities for many. According to an article by The Washington Post, “TikTok drove $14.7 billion in small-business owners’ revenue in 2023 and contributed $24.2 billion to U.S. gross domestic product last year.” These statistics alone show the influence TikTok has on the success of small businesses. 

Scrolling through the “For You” page on my own TikTok account, I’ve come across various small businesses, new music artists and creators who depend on the app as their source of income, or future income. As one of the HiLite social media editors, I understand how important social media apps like TikTok are for marketing, whether it be for businesses or smaller organizations. Social media is one of the easiest and most efficient ways for getting information out and promoting a business. Taking this away will only cause anger and cause economic insecurity and instability for many Americans. 

Ultimately, TikTok’s disappearance from the United States will do more harm than good to individuals in this country. Although the government is looking out for the security of United States residents, it is completely overlooking the career-like role this app has in many people’s lives. If the ban does occur, individuals should make sure to continue to support small businesses, organizations and creators in different ways.

The views in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the HiLite staff. Reach Avery Carlisle at [email protected].