Local content creator speaks on TikTok ban

TikTok, a popular social media app, has been severely criticized recently for its alleged information security threats, and there is potential for the video app to be banned in the United States.

House Lawmakers have signed a bill that would put the owning company of TikTok, Bytedance, in a tough spot. If the bill is passed, Bytedance would have six months to sell the app to an American company or the app will be removed from app stores.

According to a TikTok video the CEO of the app posted, Shou Zi Chew said it is a priority to make sure the app does not get banned for people who use the app for multiple different purposes.

“We will not stop advocating for you, and we will continue to do all we can including exercising our legal rights to protect this amazing platform we have built for you,” Chew said.

The potential banning of the app is affecting people all over the world. One Troy resident and content  creator is Aaliyia Rogers, who has just under 465k followers on TikTok.

Rogers thinks the banning of TikTok should apply to other social media apps.

“I feel like if you are going to ban TikTok, you should ban all social media platforms,” Rogers said. “It’s just like another way for people to express themselves and also make money.”

Rogers says the proposed ban bill could affect content creators on a major scale. Creators’ income, networking source and even their mental state could in jeopardy.

Rogers said creating content on TikTok was a way to escape for her and other content creators.

“It was just a way for [us] to escape and to enjoy ourselves,” Rogers said. “I know for some people that’s still TikTok for them.

“It’s just a way for them to be themselves.”

Rogers believes a ban would also affect people who use the app to get their daily entertainment fix.

“I get on TikTok every day, and I scroll every day,” Rogers said. “When I get off work, when I’m ready to relax, TikTok is what I get on to relax,”

Rogers does not only make social media content for TikTok. She said she also has a social media presence on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

She encourages other content creators to diversify their content on different social media platforms, so viewers can find and interact with creators’ content in case TikTok does get banned in the United States.

The proposed ban bill has not been sent to President Joe Biden’s desk. Earlier in March, President Biden said if house lawmakers sign the bill, he will sign it.

However, Vice President Kamala Harris said towards the end of March that banning TikTok is not the goal.