Renowned TikTok creators have strongly criticized President Biden’s decision to sign a bill mandating either the sale of popular social media app TikTok or its ban in the United States. The legislation, which is part of an aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, has been accused by several content makers of being hypocritical as they pointed out that Biden’s campaign still uses it despite concerns over national security risks posed by Chinese-owned ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company.
Prominent creators like Tiffany Cianci, who organized a protest against the bill at Washington DC on Tuesday along with other users, claimed in an interview that “in passing this bill (the US government) has alienated more than 7 million small business owners and 170 million everyday Americans.” She further added that she did not believe that there were any circumstances under which people would see a sincere belief that TikTok presents significant danger to the United States population. Cianci also raised Biden’s apparent double standards regarding TikTok usage, highlighting how other politicians like Jeff Jackson and Biden himself continue using it despite passing this bill aimed at protecting American citizens from its perceived dangers.
Hannah Williams of Salary Transparent Street also hit out at the legislation that has seen heavy bipartisan support in Congress, calling it “incredibly disappointing” for various reasons. She explained how her channel on TikTok generates thousands of dollars each year and serves as a significant source of income, warning about its negative implications if she loses access to this community or sponsorships due to the ban. Williams further stated that the decision to impose such restrictions is “an embarrassment” for America’s democracy principles.
Ian Carroll, creator behind cancelthisclothingco with 1.5 million followers on TikTok, highlighted how small businesses have been able to promote their brands through this app due to level playing fields it has provided over giant corporations that dominate physical stores’ shelf space. He argued that the ban would tilt marketplaces in favor of big players and against smaller ones like himself who rely heavily on Tiktok for sales.
Callie Goodwin, owner of sparksofjoyco with more than 100k followers, stated that a potential ban could be financially devastating to her small business as it has been born out of the app’s popularity and is thriving due to its usage by users worldwide. She added that TikTok accounts for almost all sales generated through their brand, warning about financial losses if they lose access to this community or sponsorship opportunities.
Tony Schaffer who creates videos as ‘MiddleRoadSanity’, suggested there might be a hidden agenda behind the ban’s imposition since elected officials could still utilize it for campaigning purposes. “The TikTok Ban is clearly an overblown attempt to build public dissent against this app by benefitting other American based companies,” he said, adding that if Biden and his team are genuinely concerned about national security risks associated with the platform’s usage, they should have considered a different course of action instead.
WickedWitch_ofthe_West creator Taralyn Romero accused Biden of being hypocritical for signing this bill while still using TikTok despite concerns over its perceived dangers to national security. She further argued that the legislation’s passage had nothing to do with protecting American citizens or safeguarding their constitutional rights, instead aimed at controlling market competition and how people come together as well as communicate online.
Leave a Reply