On Sunday, January 19, over 170 million individuals in the United States could lose access to TikTok, the world’s fifth most popular video-sharing app.
According to federal legislation signed by departing President Joe Biden, Bytedance, the parent company of TikTok, must sell the app by January 19 or risk being banned in the United States, which would instantly cut off access from internet hosting providers and app shops in the country.
The Supreme Court just affirmed the Act, putting the final nail in the coffin. An enormous number of people will be affected, including over 27 million content creators, who stand to lose a key source of money and may be compelled to reestablish their presence on apps
But for African creators in the U.S., the ban could have even more severe consequences. Many say American creators on TikTok are tooindispensable to the app for it to be banned in the U.S. This creator demographic includes African creators who regularly contribute to trends on the app. Creators like Maame Adwoa, who goes byJowodaa on TikTok, have pioneered famous TikTok sounds, including the widespreadQuick Quick snack trend.
“TikTok has played a pivotal role in shaping my work as a creator,” Adwoa tells OkayAfrica. It has allowed me to collaborate with brands and individuals I might not have encountered otherwise. Over the years, the positive reception of my work has broadened my perspective and challenged me to continue evolving as a content creator.”
Inioluwa Olu-Owotade, known famously asInicash, also attests to the transformative power of the TikTok app in his work as a creator. “It’s one of the few platforms where creativity is rewarded instantly,” Owotade says. “I can post something, and within hours, people in Lagos, London, or even Los Angeles are engaging. That reach is priceless for someone like me who thrives on storytelling and audience interaction.”
What will be missed?
Like many others, African content creators in the U.S. will have to contend with the end of a platform that rewards their creativity. “Many creators, especially those who’ve built businesses on the app, are deeply concerned about the potential impact and are not taking it lightly,” Adwoa says.
While Black creators face issues ofpay disparity and low content visibility on the app despite pioneering many of the dances and viral sounds, African creators on the platform who create for both local and international audiences are often at a greater disadvantage as they keep finding innovative ways to make content that appeals to both American and global audiences. But that doesn’t limit the app’s impact.
It’s a space where we’ve been able to amplify our voices, share our stories, and connect with a global audience without a middleman,” Owotade adds. “A ban would feel like taking a microphone away from someone who’s finally being heard. It could also slow down the momentum we’ve built to showcase African culture to the world, which the app has been instrumental in.”
Above all, the app helps these African creators connect with cultures on the continent and stay in touch with happenings in their home countries while simultaneously providing a platform for them to amplify those cultures and stories.
