Here’s what TikTok users are saying about the looming ban
CNN
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TikTok creators and users are facing the reality that the popular short-video app will likely be banned in the United States.
A law that would effectively shut down TikTok nationwide may take effect Sunday if its China-based parent company, ByteDance, does not sell off the app and if the Supreme Court does not block the law.
TikTok, which has 170 million monthly users in the United States, has faced competition from other apps trying to replicate its short-form video features. But TikTok stood out as a leader in quick entertainment and as a medium for creators to build a business or advertise for brands.
Many of its content creators have begun to say their goodbyes and discuss their future plans.
One creator, who uses the name Neiltheceo, said, "TikTok is leaving the United States on the 19th of this month. I'm not going to Instagram… I don't like Instagram, I'm not going there. I might just put the phone down."
Creators bid farewell
The TikTok ban could lead to a loss of income for creators, whose partnerships, monetization and followers aren't guaranteed if they move to other platforms.
TikTok creator Britton Copeland posted a video that floated the idea of boycotting all social media in response to the ban. She explained that TikTok helped her get an agent for a book she plans to release. Copeland also noted that creators "can't just not work."
"It sucks because I feel like I'm this close, this close to having my dream," she said.
A creator known as Mrs. Space Cadet, who has almost 1 million followers, said TikTok "started the career that I have now." In the comment section, she said she is on Instagram and has started posting on YouTube. "I know it's not the same, but it's something," she said.
Duke Depp, who amassed almost 20 million followers by dressing as Willy Wonka, took a trip down memory lane by reposting viral moments. He encouraged users to subscribe to his YouTube and Snapchat accounts.
"All week I'm using my account to remember PEAK Tiktok, before the platform is gone for good," he commented.
Anyone who wants continued access to the app could move to another country, a creator joked in a video posted to the platform.
"It's like summer camp is over and we will never see our camp friends again," a user said in another post.
Users look for alternatives
There are limited options for sharing short videos beyond Instagram's Reels and YouTube's Shorts. Lemon8, a photo- and video-sharing app also owned by ByteDance, gained popularity during earlier threats to ban TikTok, but it could be banned under the US law, too.
About 180,000 users have signed up for Neptune, an app expected to be released sometime in 2025. The app's website says it will have a customizable algorithm, monetization and no follower counts.
"If we want another TikTok, it's gonna have to happen naturally," one user posted. They said this ban is similar to when Vine shut down and users moved to YouTube and Musical.ly, which merged with TikTok in 2018.
One user commented: "I have videos that go all the way back to 2016… why are they deleting my memories."
Video-sharing competitor Triller has tried to capitalize on those concerns by creating Save My TikToks, which will be upload TikTok videos to the Triller app.
Users who recently joined the app may have a short-lived experience. An "elder millennial" posted to TikTok that she was hesitant to join. After using the app for a few months, she has realized "how terrible the other (social media apps) are."
TikTok is expected to be removed from US app stores by Google's parent company, Alphabet, and Apple following a ban, so the app won't have updates or be available for download.
Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan posted to X: "If tiktok goes away I wonder if my body just evaporates similar to that avengers movie."
Can TikTok be saved?
ByteDance has repeatedly said TikTok isn't for sale.
In March, Steve Mnuchin, who served as Treasury secretary during Donald Trump's first term, said he had put together a group of investors to buy TikTok. "Shark Tank" co-host Kevin O'Leary told Yahoo! Finance last week that he is part of a group that's prepared to pay up to $20 billion for TikTok.
But there are big stumbling blocks, including the narrow window to reach a deal and the widely varied value of the app. A buyer would also likely not have access to the app's powerful algorithm to hook users, which makes TikTok so valuable.
CNN's Clare Duffy contributed to this report.
