By KDPR Intern Jayden Ford
On the 19th of January, the United States was scheduled to ban Tik Tok. To the shock of many users, the site actually went dark. Tik Tok was removed from the App Store and Play Store, and existing users were unable to use the platform. However, less than 24 hours later, TikTok was restored following Trump’s 90 day extension of the enforcement of the ban. This extension is aimed to facilitate the sale of a 50% stake in TikTok to a U.S.-based company.
While the ban has been temporarily withdrawn, there is much uncertainty. If no sale is made, will Tik Tok be banned again, this time permanently? If it’s sold, who will buy it? We know Elon Musk’s name has been thrown around, as well as a group led by Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven MnuSchin. How will this impact the United States and the world?
Global Uncertainty
Since its rapid rise in popularity between 2018-2020, Tik Tok has revolutionised how people interact, both socially and professionally. For marketing, communication and PR, Tik Tok became one of the most important platforms used to connect with audiences, especially younger ones. Thanks to its unique algorithm, Tik Tok allows for a more raw, personalised and interactive way for companies and public figures to connect and build relationships with their followers.
The biggest impact Australia and the world will feel from this ban is uncertainty. It sends a clear message to businesses and individuals; don’t rely on a singular channel or a singular strategy. Having a plan B or having alternative ways of storytelling and delivering messages is vital in today’s ever-changing media landscape.
It also highlights the need to invest time and resources into tracking global and local industry trends, as well as conducting regulatory and media monitoring. Understanding what is happening outside the bubble of your organisation is vital for adapting to changes and maintaining a competitive edge.
What if the ban is enforced?
While audiences outside of the US would remain unaffected, US users make up the second-largest TikTok user base with 170 Million users. With these users off the app and likely migrating to competing apps, there would be a fragmentation of a previously global audience. Given the international scope of many marketing, communication and public relations campaigns, this will impact how organisations choose to engage with audiences.
This may encourage non US-based companies to follow US audiences to wherever the majority decide to settle. Even with Australian audiences still allowed to access Tik Tok, the popularity of the platform may dwindle. Therefore, it will be vital for businesses to reassess their audiences and where they are, to keep up with swiftly changing trends.
Alternative Apps
So with or without Tik Tok, what other apps can be used in its place? Existing competitors Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are the most likely competitors/replacements, both offering similar short-form video content. Furthermore, both platforms already have established user-bases. Snapchat also has a similar function, but it is not currently as popular.
A surprising alternative to TikTok is RedNote (Xiaohongshu), a Chinese-made platform that has quickly surged to the top of the Apple App Store’s social networking charts in both the U.S. and Australia. This rapid rise can be attributed to users, many self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees”, seeking a new platform amid the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future. Additionally, some individuals are protesting the U.S. government’s decision to ban TikTok by supporting RedNote, an explicitly Chinese-owned platform.
However, RedNote’s popularity may not be sustained in the long term due to its Chinese ownership, raising similar concerns to TikTok over data privacy and national security. Given the potential for similar regulatory scrutiny, RedNote could also face a future ban. It will be important to closely monitor how RedNote evolves to decide whether it should be integrated into your social media strategy.