If there’s one thing President Biden seems determined to do, it’s proving he can annoy just about everyone at once. Already, he’s got problems with the young anti-Israel folks in America who are threatening to sit out the election.
In addition to that, he’s now targeting their beloved TikTok, the app of Gen Z and a cash cow for businesses and influencers all over the nation.
How did TikTok get “banned”?
How did this happen? It happened after the House and Senate tucked the banning of TikTok into their foreign aid bill for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. The law [1] stipulates that the Chinese company ByteDance must sell its stake in TikTok in 270 days under the threat of being shut down.
Yes, ByteDance has been given an ultimatum to sell to a U.S. entity or face the app’s banishment from American shores. This ticking clock sets the stage for intense legal battles and possibly prolonged uncertainty after President Biden signed the bill last week.
Meanwhile, TikTokers, brands, and fans are left in limbo, pondering their digital lives’ possible bleak future.
Influencers and businesses could go down in flames.
Imagine the scene: TikTok stars (and businesses), who have cultivated massive followings and substantial bank accounts, suddenly cut off from their golden goose.
There’s Khaby Lame, the mute magician of viral simplicity, who’s gone from factory worker to millionaire without uttering a word. He’s got 162 million followers who revel in his effortless debunking of overcomplicated “life hacks.” His silence has earned him $750,000 per post, which is more than many people make in a decade.
And then there’s Charli D’Amelio, who parlayed her high school dance routines into a career that made her the first TikTok star to hit 100 million followers. Both stand to lose their platforms, their incomes, and perhaps their sanity if TikTok gets axed.
But let’s not forget MrBeast, the philanthropic spectacle master, or Bella Poarch, whose lip-syncing prowess catapulted her to fame. These stars have built empires on TikTok, and Biden’s ban threatens to raze these empires to the ground.
Biden facing a re-election nightmare by further alienating America’s youth.
If Biden and the government follow through with the ban, the backlash from the combined 800 million followers of the ten biggest TikTok accounts listed by the Daily Mail [2] (and all of the rest of the TikTokers audience) could be apocalyptic – especially to Biden’s re-election chances.
And that’s most likely where the whole “270 days” thing comes into play. Guess when the “banning” is supposed to happen? 270 days from the signing of the bill just happens to be Sunday, January 19th, 2025, the day before the presidential inauguration i.e. a “gift” to President Trump from President Biden should Orange Man Bad retake the White House.
So it’s possible the ban threat might NOT tank Joe’s re-election hopes if the Dems plan to make the whole disaster happen right when Trump (hopefully) becomes president again. That means it wouldn’t become “a thing” during the election if they have their way. Chances are, Biden’s friends in the leftist media won’t talk about it – but China WILL be talking about it for sure and the TikTokers will no doubt know what could be coming their way.
We’re talking about a tidal wave of disappointed teens and twenty-somethings who might just channel their frustration into political apathy – or worse, voting for Biden’s opponent (oh, the horror!). Why? Because Chinese TikTok will tell them to do so in order to save their social media platform.
Can you see it now?! The Democrat Party and Biden Administration totally freaking out and being outraged at the Chinese “election interference” that they themselves caused.
And it’s not just the influencers who are shaking in their boots. Business giants who have seen TikTok as the newest frontier in advertising will be left scrambling. Brands have invested billions in TikTok campaigns, tailoring content to a platform that knows no generational boundaries.
Influencer accounts and businesses are facing an uncertain future.
From launching viral challenges to capitalizing on influencer partnerships, TikTok has been a playground for brands to reach younger consumers directly. Without TikTok, these companies would lose a crucial touchpoint with a demographic that increasingly ignores traditional media.
The Biden administration’s push to ban TikTok appears to stem from concerns about national security and data privacy – serious issues, no doubt. Yet, the irony is palpable when Biden’s own campaign uses TikTok to reach voters (and so does Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer), even as he signs the app’s potential death warrant.
It’s a classic case of trying to have your cake and eat it too, except in this scenario, the cake might explode in everyone’s faces – including Biden’s presidential campaign.