Canadian TikTokers are worried about the potential ban of the video-hosting service TikTok, as calls to ban the app grow worldwide over concerns that its Chinese owner, ByteDance, may allow sensitive user data to be handed over to China’s government. Despite ByteDance’s assurances that the information would not be used by the Chinese government or promote pro-Beijing propaganda, lawmakers from Canada, the United States, Europe, India, New Zealand, and other countries have banned the app from government devices.
Several Canadian “influencers” on TikTok who depend on the app for their livelihood have voiced their concerns about a potential ban. These include Sonia Ong, an influencer with 9.2 million followers who earns a middle six-figure income partnering with different brands. Ong believes that TikTok’s reach is unparalleled and hopes that the platform won’t be completely banned. Similarly, mural artist and TikTok creator Tina Nguyen fears that a ban would affect her professionally and personally. Nguyen has more than 474,900 followers on her channel, which she uses to document the behind-the-scenes process of how to make her products.
Darcy Michael, a standup comedian and actor, believes that if governments are going to ban one social media app on their phones, then they would be silly not to ban them all because they are all in the same business. Michael runs a TikTok channel with his partner, Jeremy Baer, that has 3.5 million followers. Michael’s success as a comedian only came when he started posting his standup routine on TikTok during the pandemic, allowing him to find his audiences.
However, safety concerns about TikTok stem from its parent company being headquartered in China, which is subject to Chinese jurisdiction. Brett Caraway, a professor of media economics at the University of Toronto, believes that the emphasis on TikTok is due to an “escalation in tensions” between countries like the United States, Canada, and China. Caraway also pointed out that switching away from TikTok as a content creator would come with added costs that could be quite high since there is no guarantee that all of their followers would come with them.
Despite the uncertainty and concerns, eight creators recently had a chance to meet with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in Vancouver to discuss the effect the app has had on their lives and communities. With the ban still up for debate, Canadian TikTokers remain on edge, hoping that they won’t lose the platform that has allowed them to build their careers and communities.