Gen Z Students disappointed in potential TikTok ban and Income Loss
Andrew Hsu, a business management major at UGA, plays piano outside of Archer Paper Goods in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, April 19, 2024. Hsu has been performing outside of Archer Paper Goods on E. Clayton Street since May 2022 and has amassed a following of over 200,000 users on TikTok by livestreaming and posting clips of his performances. (Photo/Landen Todd)
TikTok creators across the nation are frustrated with the decisions by U.S. Congress because of a potential ban of the popular social media app due to privacy concerns. Some of those creators are in Athens, Georgia, including students who make extra funds using the social media platform.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bipartisan bill with a final vote of 360-58 that would force ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to sell the app. The original bill gave ByteDance only six months to sell, but the timeline for the company to sell was lengthened to nine months, with a possible additional three months if a sale is in progress. Otherwise, the company could face a ban in the U.S., according to the AP. The legislation is passed in the Senate, and President Joe Biden has signed it into law.
Lawmakers who support the ban believe the Chinese-owned app is a security threat. The U.S. government and intelligence officials are worried that the Chinese government could force ByteDance to hand over American user data or change the algorithm of TikTok content to favor China’s interests, according to the AP.
Still, TikTok creators believe this will hurt their First Amendment rights, online communities and businesses who financially depend on the app with more than 170 million users. Local Athens TikTok creators Andrew Hsu and Andrew McKenna argue against the legislation for the potential bill.
“It's basically like the worst thing that can happen if TikTok gets banned here,” Hsu said.
Andrew Hsu, a business management major at UGA, plays piano outside of Archer Paper Goods in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, April 19, 2024. Hsu has been performing outside of Archer Paper Goods on E. Clayton Street since May 2022 and has amassed a following of over 200,000 users on TikTok by livestreaming and posting clips of his performances. (Photo/Landen Todd)
Hsu started streaming on TikTok in the summer of 2022. The 21-year-old, who is a senior majoring in business management at the University of Georgia, currently has over 240,000 followers from going live on the platform and playing the piano in downtown Athens. He tries to edit and post a video daily.
“TikTok gives you a lot of exposure,” Hsu said. “The algorithms work in a way where any video can just start doing really well.”
One of his TikToks that showed him singing and playing “Vienna” by Billy Joel with others went viral with more than a million views. When talking about the potential ban, Hsu expressed his dissent with lawmakers’ decision.
“TikTok is one of the most expressive apps that can get your word out there instantly and one of the most influential ones that people use to express their opinions and ideas,” Hsu said. “So getting it banned is definitely, I feel, a violation of a First Amendment right.”
McKenna, a 19-year-old freshman at UGA, makes relatable skit videos on TikTok for other college students and now has over 216,000 followers. His day-to-day routine includes checking his email to see if sponsors or business inquiries are reaching out while posting a video around 5 p.m. every day.
“I don't really think our security is at any more risk than with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or anywhere else,” McKenna said.
McKenna agreed with Hsu that TikTok allows for easy exposure, sayings that your follower count doesn’t matter as much compared to other social media platforms.
“It just really gives the ability for you to grow even whenever you're small and I think it kind of takes away some of the barriers to entry,” McKenna said.
Andrew McKenna, TikTok creator, 19, from Warner Robins, Georgia, poses for a portrait at the Zell B. Miller Learning Center in Athens, Georgia, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. The UGA freshman makes relatable skit videos on TikTok for other college students and now has over 216,000 followers. (Photo/Landen Todd @whats_landophoto)
Gen Z and TikTok empowerment
Sophie Beren is the founder and CEO of The Conversationalist, which is “a website that works to empower members of Gen Z.” According to her, Gen Z, who are frequent users of the app, recognize the downsides and dangers when it comes to privacy and data from TikTok, but she also said a ban is something that could hit their wallets, according to ABC News. TikTok is dominated by Gen Z, with 44.7% of users coming from that age group, according to EMARKETER.
Mckenna said TikTok is how he pays for college and does not have to work any other jobs. On the other hand, Hsu said it’s a side hustle, but he knows people who have made TikTok their livelihood.
Mckenna said it is a main source of revenue and he would have to look elsewhere financially. In addition to financial concerns, McKenna said a lot of users get their news from TikTok.
“I think it'd be interesting how uninformed a lot of people will soon be, especially since the younger generation doesn't use cable TV for their news,” McKenna said. “A lot of people just aren't going to know what's going on in politics.”
TikTok has become a community and financial support for several users. The future of TikTok for American users depends on how ByteDance responds to the bill and the actions of lawmakers.
