by Alex Pearlman closed the door on dreams of a standup comedy career almost ten years ago, going from the stage to an office cubicle where he worked in a customer service position.
Then he started posting random jokes and commentary about pop culture and politics on TikTok. Just over 2.5 million followers later, he quit his nine-to-five and recently booked his first national tour.
Pearlman is among dozens of TikTok creators across the US who were outraged by a bipartisan bill passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday that would have led to a nationwide ban on the popular video app unless its owner sells based in China, ByteDance, promised. . The bill must still go through the Senate, where its prospects are unclear.
Content creators say a ban would hurt the many people and businesses that rely on TikTok for a significant portion of their income, while also arguing that TikTok has become an unrivaled platform for dialogue and community.
Pearlman, who lives outside of Philadelphia, said TikTok has transformed his life, allowing him to live his dreams, provide for his family and spend the first three months of his newborn son’s life at home. His customer service job only offered paternity leave equivalent to three weeks off, with two weeks paid.
“I don’t take a day off this app, because it’s so awesome,” said Pearlman, 39. “TikTok has actually been the driver of social media in America for the last four years. Something will go into that place if TikTok goes away tomorrow. Whether that will be better or worse, Congress has no idea.”
TikTok, which was launched in 2016, is very popular, growing faster than Instagram, YouTube or Facebook. The push to remove the app from Chinese authorities follows concerns from lawmakers, law enforcement and intelligence officials about the insecurity of user data, the potential suppression of content unfavorable to the Chinese government and the possibility that the platform could spread pro-Beijing propaganda. to boost, all. which TikTok denies.
So far, the US government has not provided any evidence showing that TikTok shared US user data with Chinese authorities.
The move comes as the pandemic saw massive growth in digital marketing as people stuck at home consuming – and creating – content at unprecedented levels.
Jensen Savannah, a 29-year-old from Charlotte, started making TikToks of her travels around the Carolinas during the pandemic. Now a full-time influencer, her income has tripled since leaving her telecom sales job.
“‘Social media Influencer’ must be seen as a new font and a new form of radio and television advertising,” she said. “It will give your dollar much longer than in traditional marketing.”
Some creators describe it as such a digital equalizer, providing a platform for people of color and other marginalized groups to gain opportunity and exposure.
“I always had Twitter, I had Facebook, I had Instagram. But TikTok was the first, if you want to find someone who looks like you and represents you in any way, you can find it,” said Joshua Dairen, a 30-year-old Black content creator age in Auburn, Alabama. Dairen makes videos about ghost stories, urban legends and the history of his state.
Growing up, he loved researching all things paranormal, but he didn’t see much Black representation in the field. Exposure on TikTok has led to jobs writing freelance pieces and contributing to documentaries about paranormal occurrences and unsolved mysteries. The app also gave Dairen the flexibility and confidence to open his own coffee shop, where he receives visits at least once a day from fans of his work.
He thinks the TikTok ban “sets a dangerous precedent about how much power our highest levels of government can wield.”
Others say the app is a financial and social safety net.
Chris Bautista, owner of a food truck in Los Angeles that serves TV series and movies, started using TikTok during the pandemic to connect with members of the LGBTQ+ community and show support for those who may be difficult.
Bautista, 37, grew up in a conservative Christian community outside LA and didn’t come out until his late 20s. As a young man, he struggled with his mental health and considered suicide. He wanted to create a platform that he could use as a teenager, one that would show that someone like him could go to that dark place and come out the other side as a “well-adjusted, confident person.”
“I think the corners of TikTok are so important and so deep to me,” said Bautista, who said it would be “sad” if the app were banned.
Bautista didn’t start posting with the intention of monetizing the experience, but money from projects related to the app came at the right time: If not for the extra income he earned through TikTok during the pandemic and then came Hollywood strikes end. year, his business would be closed down.
Almost since its inception, concerns have arisen about the addictive nature of the app, especially for a young audience whose minds are still developing. Marcus Bridgewater, a former private school teacher and administrator who owns his own business and posts gardening videos on TikTok, wants Congress to focus on those issues, and not the Chinese-owned app.
“Social media is a powerful tool,” said Bridgewater, who lives in Spring, Texas. “And this is what powerful tools are all about: They are able to help us overcome ourselves, but in their transcendence, they are also able to separate us completely. from those we love.”
Pearlman said he has long feared that politicians would come after TikTok. He compared the experience of finding out about the House vote to the final call that a loved one has died.
“The part that bothers me is, I think for a lot of Americans, TikTok and social media in general is a release valve — it’s kind of a default complaint box,” he said. it seems they want to ban the complaint box rather than deal with the complaint.”
