Elizabeth B. Perlugar, the attorney general of the Biden administration, argued that Congress had the right to enact the ban, saying that the Chinese government could spy on Americans through TikTok in addition to their calls. “It’s about trying to close a vulnerability that an adversary of a foreign country could exploit,” he said. Outside the court, dozens of TikTok users rallied in support of the program. With a Jan. 19 deadline, the court is likely to make a decision next week — one that could have lasting implications for the future of social media for creators. If the law goes into effect, it is unclear whether President-elect Trump will enforce the ban once he takes office.
When I ask him about the ban, Don says, “I feel like I’ve lost everything in the end. “I don’t think people understand that I’m keeping a roof over my head. “It’s like people saying your company is going to collapse and you have no control over it.”
In addition to brand deals, Dunn participates in the TikTok Creator Rewards Program, which pays creators with at least 10,000 followers and 100,000 views per month to produce a few minutes of original content. Between the brand partnership and the money made through the program, Dunn, 30, tells me he’s averaging a few five-figure months in 2024. They shout about them.
TikTok Shop, the app’s e-commerce feature, was a game changer for small business owners when it launched in September 2023. The app’s increase in sellers outpaced rivals like Amazon, which TikTok eventually wants to replace (or at least dethrone). Beauty products and women’s clothing are often the best-selling items across the platform. According to Shopify, by 2023, 12% of TikTok stores will be based in the US, with 45% of Americans making purchases through a TikTok store. In 2023, daily US sales will exceed $7 million.
Renee McClintock, 29, a mother of two, is one of the hardworking entrepreneurs behind the app. You name it, he’s sold it: electrolyte packs, cotton candy machines, iPhone cases, blue jeans, vaginal probiotic gums. Last summer, a video detailing his weekly earnings ($4,764.63) went viral. McClintock declined to speak with me for this story — he only does paid collaborations that start at $150, he wrote in an email — but noted that since July, through the affiliate program, his gross It was $600,000.
TikTok isn’t the only platform that allows creators to make a profit, but it seems to be an exception to the rule. YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch all provide different avenues for users to earn money, either through ads or affiliate links. None of them have what TikTok has, says John Selman, vice president of influencer marketing at BenLabs, an agency whose clients include influencers Colin Keys, Savagemomlife, and Amaury Guichon.
