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"For brands, it’s chaos." TikTok creators will be "throwing their arms up in grief at this extinction event"

ended 17. January 2025

TikTok is set to be banned in the US from Sunday, the Supreme Court has ruled — unless it is sold by its parent company in China. The social media platform is used by an estimated 170 million Americans. Newspage asked social media experts for their views on the decision and its ramifications for brands and social media platforms globally. Their views will appear below until 19:00.

5 responses from the Newspage community

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Oli Garnett
Co-Founder at Something Familiar.
TikTok’s impending US ban feels like watching someone set their house on fire to fix a leaky tap. The Supreme Court’s ruling might be framed as a bold move for national security, but let’s be honest—banning an app used by 170 million Americans is less about protecting data and more about making a statement. For brands, it’s chaos. Overnight, they’ll lose access to a platform that drives engagement like no other. For users, it’s just a matter of finding the next app to scroll endlessly. And globally? Every social platform is now on notice—if TikTok can be targeted, who’s next? In the end, the real winners here are Instagram and YouTube, ready to pounce on the fallout. Meanwhile, banning an app doesn’t fix systemic privacy issues—it just moves the problem around while annoying everyone in the process.
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Kate Allen
Owner at Finest Stays
This decision is desperately sad for the micro businesses that have relied on the TikTok Shop as a lifeline to reach their audience. Aside from the security angle, it’s another anti-business move that stifles creativity, entrepreneurship, and accessibility in a space where smaller players have thrived. While the ban feels fairly final, I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump steps in to reverse it – this dance is far from over.
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Horace Hiatt
Business and Social Media undergraduate at University of Surrey
The TikTok ban in the US is a blow to brands and creators globally. It's unlikely to be the last example of clashes between politics and platforms. Many Gen Z creators have already upped sticks to RedNote to get ahead of the curve. TikTok is an immensely powerful brand but Gen Z are agile and nomadic and will always find a new home. This underlines the need for brands to be agile and not become overly reliant on one single social media platform. Creator, beware.
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Premium
Debbie Porter
Managing Director at Destination Digital Marketing
The ramifications of a TikTok ban in America will ripple across the world. Platforms like Apple and Google will be forced to remove access to the app in their App Store from 19 January, and if following the lead of India, ISPs will also be forced to flush out servers that host the app for download too. This would make TikTok increasingly difficult to download, and increasingly incompatible with a phone’s operating system. This slow decline would ensure the death of the app regardless of where you live. The US case is predicated on security concerns with the platform, which has already led to a ban by many central and local government organisations in other countries so other countries may also now follow suit. Creators who have made whole livelihoods on the platform will now be throwing their arms up in grief at this extinction event. A salutary lesson in not placing all your eggs in one basket.
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Richard O'Connor
Director at First Mats
Social media platforms like TikTok are vital for many businesses that rely on advertising to reach new customers. It’s a massive channel in the US, especially for younger audiences, and losing access overnight will be catastrophic for those who’ve spent years building an online presence, including many retailers. Our business is based in the UK, and while we haven’t used TikTok much yet, we had big plans for it this year. After what’s happening in the US, those plans are now on hold. We’ll look at alternatives, but few platforms offer comparable reach. This also raises global questions. If governments can block platforms like TikTok, what does that mean for the future of digital advertising and cross-border business? It’s a reminder to diversify, but the ripple effects of this could be far-reaching.