TikTok creators are scrambling to shift their fanbase to other similar apps following the announcement of the impending ban.
TikTok is hanging by a thread in the United States. One mistake or quote can trigger an instant ban, which is a worst-case scenario for the app. They’re lucky enough that Microsoft is interested in being their knight in shining armor. Unfortunately, until a deal is finalized, the app’s future remains murky.
As a result, content creators of TikTok are shepherding their fans to join them in a possible exodus. TikTok is a form of livelihood for some. As such, banning it from the United States could add more to the unemployment in the country.
TikTok content creators are asking for a shift
The fear is real for the majority of TikTok video makers. Many have dedicated their lives to building a fanbase and creating unique content. In other words, TikTok is their world and their source of income. Without it, they must pivot to other social media apps or find a job outside the virtual world.
Each video creator is looking after their backs. Frankie Lagana tells CNN that he’s asking his fans to follow him on YouTube instead. Otherwise, he may lose his ‘career’ on TikTok. He adds,
“There’s now going to be a fire under my butt to work so much harder in creating YouTube videos. There’s a difference in having a presence on TikTok compared to having a presence on YouTube. … All these YouTubers they’re actually real-life celebrities. On TikTok, it’s kind of like you’re a TikTok celebrity.”
Shifting from TikTok to YouTube will not be easy, as Lagana says. However, considering the uncertainty with the status of the app, saving their fans for a rainy day may be the best option.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djHVIlJsH_s
Why is Microsoft interested anyway?
There are many speculations as to why the company is interested in buying TikTok. However, the most practical and apparent reason is the app’s profitability. The AU$70 billion price point of TikTok is hefty. Nonetheless, investors believe that with the trajectory of the app, it could easily multiply four-fold in a matter of years.
State media in China thinks that the purchase is essentially ‘theft,’ to say the least. However, Microsoft sees this just as another golden opportunity to purchase a cash cow with minimal ground-up development.
Microsoft only has to fix the security and data issues of the app. After this, their name becomes synonymous with ‘savior’ because they will save the actual livelihoods of the app’s creators.
Image from Microsoft Australia/ YouTube thumbnail