TikTok influencers are expressing their concerns regarding the potential shutdown of the widely used Chinese-owned social media platform, following the Supreme Court’s endorsement of a law that mandates the application be sold if it is to continue operating in the United States.
Emily Senn, a notable figure on the platform, became emotional upon receiving this news, stating that she would “never forgive” the U.S. government for its decisions regarding TikTok.
She articulated her frustration, emphasizing that the government’s actions have jeopardized the livelihoods of millions.
“I will never trust you again, as you have abruptly deprived many individuals of their income and means of support. Who acts in such a manner?” she remarked on Friday morning.
Having previously lost her job as a cruise ship singer during the pandemic, Senn noted that TikTok has provided her with both financial assistance and a vital sense of community over the past three years.
Madilynn Cameron, who has garnered over one million followers on TikTok and has initiated a petition to preserve the platform, encouraged her audience to remain “calm and hopeful,” expressing the desire that either President Biden or President-elect Donald Trump would take action to resolve the situation.
“We are a source of ridicule for other countries,” she stated, highlighting the implications of the platform’s potential closure.
Numerous other prominent TikTok users expressed their devastation and frustration over the ruling.
Kelsey Pumel, a popular content creator, shared a video on Friday titled “Goodbye Freedom of Speech,” in which she critically assessed the government’s priorities in this matter.
TikTok, a platform utilized by over 170 million individuals in the United States, was presented with an ultimatum under a divestment bill enacted the previous year.
This legislation threatened to prohibit the application unless it was acquired by a United States buyer, citing national security concerns regarding its parent company, ByteDance. TikTok has refuted allegations suggesting that it poses a risk to national security.
As the application has not been sold, it is anticipated that TikTok will become inaccessible in the United States this Sunday, much to the disappointment of its user base.
Content creator Madilynn Cameron expressed her frustration, asserting that the government has failed its citizens and describing the United States as a “laughing stock” to other nations.
TikTok creator Emily Senn criticized the impending ban for depriving users of their income and livelihoods, including her own. In a poignant video, Senn, who is also a singer, stated, “I shall never forgive the US government for this.”
She elaborated on the profound implications of the ban, emphasizing that it extends beyond mere application usage. “This represents a genuine sense of community that is unparalleled elsewhere on the internet,” she noted.
Senn lamented the considerable time invested in content creation and the cultivation of her online presence, which has garnered over 347,000 followers.
“I have exerted significant effort to achieve this,” she explained. “Moreover, it has served as a critical source of income for me over the past three years.”
Although she does not consider herself affluent from this endeavor, she has come to rely on her monthly earnings from the video-sharing platform, which have substantially bolstered her financial situation.
Consequently, she now harbors concerns regarding her financial stability in the absence of the platform.
