As unlikely as it may seem, the noose is tightening around Chinese-owned social media phenomenon TikTok. Were it to be banned outright, what impact would this have on the short form video creator community? Adrian Pennington investigates…
With north of one billion monthly users and annual revenue in excess of $10bn, plus a reach which touches virtually every aspect of business and culture, TikTok is arguably the most influential social video app on the planet.
Yet it could be switched off in the Western world as concerns mount about user data flowing back to Beijing. As draconian as it might seem, pressure is growing on regulators to act. This is particularly acute in the US as it enters the presidential election cycle and where government divisions, nineteen states and dozens of college campuses have already outlawed its use.
“TikTok is under scrutiny for good reason, but it’s not a foregone conclusion that it’s terminal,” said Tom Morrod, Co-founder, Caretta Research. “It seems likely that there will be some limitations imposed in the US and Europe, but there may be a couple of reasonable steps that TikTok can take to avoid being banned outright...
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