TikTok ban: A creative economy at risk
Jan 17, 2025
TikTok ban: A creative economy at risk
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — TikTok has established itself as a platform that fuels creativity, community, and economic opportunities. Yet, the prospect of a TikTok ban casts uncertainty, raising concerns about its far-reaching impact on livelihoods.
Local TikTok creators reported that they lost revenue due to the potential ban, prompting them to seek refuge on other apps like YouTube and Instagram to maintain their audience and income.
“Because of the big footprint that TikTok enjoys,” said Dr. Scott Shackelford, a professor at Indiana University Kelley School of Business. “There are lots of folks, some estimates are around 60 thousand people who earn most of their income thanks to TikTok. More broadly, we’re looking at upwards of 15 billion dollars generated for small businesses nationwide.”
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Austin Taylor, known as Young Mantis on TikTok, is a creator from Indiana who is known for creating comedy, basketball, and gym-focused content since 2019. Taylor echoed the concerns about the potential business impacts of a TikTok ban.
“With TikTok, you know, it sucks really,” Taylor said. “I’ve put myself, and many other creators have put years and years of work into this. There’s been a lot of editing and ideas to entertain people with and keep the scrolls going. My job as a brain rotter is to engage people and make a living off it, and now it’s one less platform to put my name and image out to the world. I was making about $5 million a year. Now, I will need to figure out a new place to live. I might need to drive out to my mom’s place. Honestly, times are tough now, for real.”
According to Shackleford, the potential economic ripple effects could stifle innovation and slow the growth of entire industries that have thrived in the digital age.
“If you are a person or a small or more significant company that generates much of your revenue from TikTok, you cannot change and have that same income level overnight,” Shackleford said. “It takes time to build up that following, not just automatically imported. So, there will be some growing pains.”
As content creators like Taylor contemplate alternative platforms to maintain their presence, he acknowledges the challenges of replicating the essence of TikTok.
“It’s nice having a platform where I can cheer someone up and prevent them from doing whatever is going through their head that could be bad,” Taylor said. “So, I like entertaining people, and it’s a good feeling. It’s the best benefit.”
As the TikTok ban debate continues, the stakes remain high as we await the app’s potential shutdown.