The hard lesson that TikTok creators may have to learn
As many creators know, the future of TikTok in the US hangs in the balance. A recent bill passed the House, requiring TikTok to sever ties with its parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban. This situation highlights a crucial lesson for all content creators: Don’t put your fucking livelihood on a platform you don't control!
Taylor Lorenz reporting for the The Washington Post: TikTok creators, advocates slam House bill, citing damage to the economy “If the bill passes the Senate and becomes law, “I will lose my biggest platform as a content creator, stripped from me with no recompense or compensation,” she said.”
When you build your career on someone else's platform like TikTok, Facebook, or YouTube, you expose yourself to several risks:
These platforms hold immense power. They can change algorithms, restrict content, or even shut down entirely, jeopardizing your success and income. You're essentially building on someone else's land, and they can change the rules at any time. In this case, the government is in the process of changing the rules for TikTok.
John Gruber “Remember too: China itself bans all foreign social networks. Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, Pinterest — none of them are available in mainland China. It’s bananas that we allow an algorithmically-driven social media app controlled by China here.”