TikTok influencers — accustomed to their voices being heard by thousands on the wildly popular social media app — now are speaking out in hopes lawmakers hear their frustrations about efforts in Congress to possibly ban the platform in the United States.
The House on Wednesday passed bipartisan legislation to force TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell it or face a ban in the U.S. It’s now headed to the Senate where its future is uncertain.
While several steps would need to happen before any ban would be implemented — including giving ByteDance six months to divest from TikTok — influencers are fighting back, with many saying a ban would hurt their businesses or dissolve a popular online community with more 170 million Americans users.
Influencers took to Capitol Hill Wednesday to fight the bill — and leading up to the House vote many heeded TikTok’s call on its users to reach out to their members of Congress.
Lawmakers who want the ban say there are national security risks associated with the China-owned app; many who oppose the ban say it violates First Amendment rights.
TikTok estimates that about five million businesses use the social media platform to reach customers — and many influencers are saying their businesses would take a hit if the app is banned in the U.S.
