What happens if the US bans TikTok?
The IndependentSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery TikTok’s role in ensuring non-famous people experience viral fame is a huge part of pop culture — such as Americans becoming obsessed with British TikTokers’ real-time reaction to experiencing New York for the first time A slow decline – and an exodus to rivals The law clearly bans Apple and Google from letting you receive any updates to the TikTok the app, meaning that over time it would gradually become more and more unstable. Back in March 2024, pro-Palestinian activists told The Independent that a TikTok ban would badly damage their movement – and some suspected that to be part of Congress's motivation. Cedoni Francis, a 25-year-old beauty influencer, also said a ban would hit Black creators especially hard, arguing that TikTok's unpredictable algorithms have proved especially favourable to marginalized groups who struggle to break into traditional industries. In a survey of economics experts by the Chicago Booth School of Business, a total of 54 percent – weighted by the confidence of their opinion – agreed that a TikTok ban would have a "measurably positive impact" on the profits of TikTok's US rivals.