First, the Background on the TikTok Ban
TikTok is owned by Chinese-based company ByteDance and the U.S wants to force them to sell the video-sharing app because the government says the platform poses national security concerns as ByteDance is based in China and is likely to use TikTok user information with the Chinese government. That FYP that is scarily tailored to TikTok users is thanks to TikTok’s proprietary algorithm that collects data on your activity. Yikes on bikes!
ByteDance has said that it has never, and wouldn’t ever, share user data they collect with the Chinese government. Nonetheless, the U.S government has passed a law that now gives ByteDance a nine-month deadline to sell the video-dominant social media platform, with a potential for a three-month extension should there be a deal in progress to sell. This would make the U.S the first country to ban TikTok unless ByteDance sells.
So, what about Canadians? As its northern neighbour (and a bit of a follower as a result), the Canadian government is keeping a close eye on how things play out in the U.S, but has not spoken out directly on any plans to ban TikTok in Canada. For Canadian TikTok creators, brands, and scrollers, a sigh of relief.
What's Next in the TikTok Ban Saga?
First, there’s at least a three to nine-month waiting game to see if ByteDance sells, but this could play out even longer in the U.S court system, as ByteDance will likely challenge the law.
Will Canada Ban TikTok?
Now that the initial panic has settled, let’s talk about what creators, brands, and agencies should be doing. The response to this potential ban isn’t to sit back and keep going as normal. TikTok isn’t the only content-sharing app available to us and the next big thing is ALWAYS around the corner. Although TikTok has been dominating the influencer marketing industry over the last few years and brands have been heavily investing in content for the platform, this is a reminder about the importance of platform diversification.
Every influencer marketing strategy should always consider (TikTok ban or no TikTok ban) activating on multiple platforms to ensure widespread coverage and impact. You never want to put all of your eggs in one basket. This extends to creators as well. Although many influencers have seen tremendous growth and success on TikTok that they may not have experienced on other platforms, continuing to (or starting to) share content across all relevant platforms will help with more coverage, diversify audience connectivity, and offer more security from a career perspective.
If TikTok were to get banned in the U.S and/or Canada, creators who have a strong presence on TikTok may see audiences move to other platforms (in one big migration or perhaps a slow one in preparation) and it’s in their best interest to start (if they haven’t already), building out their content on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch.
Super tied to TikTok and don’t know how to start? Drive your TikTok audience to your other platforms through your content, make it known that you have a presence elsewhere as well. Even if a TikTok ban doesn’t come to light, it will protect you from any other future vulnerability and help grow your audiences on other platforms. Having a healthy content loop between all platforms is key, and having your strongest platform, TikTok, serve as your springboard while all eyes are on it is the perfect opportunity - jump now.
TikTok is here to stay for now and creators and brands can continue to activate on the platform in a way that continues to support their growth strategies. A potential ban does not mean a ban on spending or investing in the app while we wait and see what happens. TikTok still has over 50 million active daily users and they aren’t going anywhere overnight. In fact, the app’s growth will only continue for the time being.
TL;DR:
- ByteDance is a Chinese company that owns TikTok
- A potential ban on TikTok in the U.S could come in 9-12 months unless there is a forced sale of TikTok
- Canada may ban the app as a close neighbour, but nothing has been confirmed yet (and will hinge on the ownership of TikTok)
- Brands and influencers in Canada should use the time now while there is a potential ban of TikTok to diversify the platforms they leverage for content
- A TikTok ban could lead to the next big thing, but even without a ban, the next big thing is always looming - Canadians should always watch out for it
- TikTok-dominant Canadian content creators should be using this time when they have all the eyeballs to drive their audience to their other platforms (and make sure they have something to view when they go there!) - with or without a ban of the app
- Brands should not stop investing in TikTok despite a proposed ban - it’s still the #1 platform and isn’t going anywhere yet
