Savannah is a content marketer with editorial experience spanning several businesses. Specializing in social media and marketing trends, she loves talking about the latest developments in online marketing. When she’s not writing, Savannah loves traveling, hoarding books and coffee mugs, and adoring her cat. Please don’t ask her about famous true crime cases, or else she’ll tell you all about her theories and get absolutely no work done.
I’d be lying if I said the U.S. TikTok ban situation was easy to explain or follow. Heck — I’m a social media gal, and even I’m having trouble wrapping my head around the situation. So, odds are you’re probably scratching your head, too, especially if you’re a marketer or business who uses TikTok regularly (or you’re just curious how it could affect you!).
That’s why we’re going over the latest updates on the U.S. TikTok ban, including what it is and what it means for marketing. We’ll cover the following topics:
So, what exactly does the U.S. TikTok ban entail? Let’s dive in.
TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance Ltd. Since 2019, U.S. officials have raised concerns that the popular social media app — used by over 170 million Americans — poses a national and personal security threat.
Eventually, a law was passed in 2024 forcing TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell its stake in the app, or it would be cut off from U.S. audiences and banned on January 19, 2025.
TikTok ban timeline
*Updated 1/21
For a more detailed explanation of the U.S. TikTok ban, check out this timeline of events detailing how it all started and the latest updates.
NOVEMBER 2019
A national security probe into TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps begins, spurred by alarms raised by U.S. politicians over TikTok’s influence.
AUGUST 6, 2020
An executive order to ban TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps is signed, citing national security concerns.
A federal class-action lawsuit also alleges that sensitive information was being sent to Chinese servers. This included biometric profiles and personally identifiable information.
SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2020
The initial executive orders are blocked by the District Court for the District of Columbia and two federal judges, on the grounds that the ban “likely exceeded [presidential] authority to ban TikTok” and lack of evidence of any wrongdoing by TikTok and ByteDance.
DECEMBER 2022
The FBI Director warns that Chinese officials can manipulate TikTok’s algorithm, raising national security concerns.
ByteDance also announces that they fired four employees who accessed data on American journalists while investigating company data leaks.
FEBRUARY 2023
The White House gives federal agencies 30 days to delete TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices, warning that ByteDance could share TikTok user data with China’s government.
MARCH 2024
The U.S. House of Representatives passes a bill demanding ByteDance sell its stake in TikTok or face a U.S. ban.
APRIL 2024
The U.S. Senate also passes the bill, and it’s signed into law by the President.
MAY 2024
TikTok and ByteDance sues the U.S. government to challenge the law forcing the sale of ByteDance’s stake, saying it’s unconstitutional.
DECEMBER 6, 2024
The U.S. federal appeals court unanimously upholds the TikTok ban law.
JANUARY 17, 2025
In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upholds the federal law banning TikTok. The ban is set to take effect January 19, 2025.
JANUARY 18, 2025
TikTok goes dark in the U.S. and is no longer available for download on app stores.
JANUARY 19, 2025
After 16 hours of unavailability, TikTok is restored for U.S. users under assurances that the newly inaugurated President would sign an executive order delaying the ban and its enforcement.
JANUARY 20, 2025
An executive order delaying the TikTok ban by 75 days is signed into law.
How to navigate the TikTok ban
Here’s what the TikTok ban means for marketing, advertising, and business, and how you can stay reactive during this back-and-forth time:
Diversify your marketing efforts
Having all of your eggs in one basket isn’t going to help your business, whether the U.S. loses TikTok or not. The most important thing you can do right now is diversify your digital marketing efforts.
Whether or not your primary social media marketing platform is TikTok, start looking at other places your audience is currently active or migrating to. Remember — research your audience and take note of where they’re going on as TikTok’s fate is decided. Stay up to date on what’s happening with TikTok, and keep your eye on other platforms that present opportunities for your business.
Stay flexible
Keep an eye on developments regarding the TikTok ban and updates to other social platforms. Just because TikTok is up in the air doesn’t mean life has stopped on other platforms, so continue to stay agile and adapt your strategy to meet changing needs and guidelines.
Build your content library
While the places you’ll share your video content may remain uncertain, it’s crucial to continue building your content library. Video marketing and content creation aren’t going anywhere, so don’t halt your creative flow. Now is the time to double down on video content creation so you’re still active when others aren’t. You can still post videos on platforms other than TikTok!
TikTok alternatives
While many experts predict competitors like Instagram and YouTube will benefit from the TikTok ban, other social platforms are emerging as popular alternatives to TikTok:
1. Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels was Meta’s answer to TikTok, and with TikTok facing trouble, it’s growing to become a top (and familiar) alternative to TikTok.
Reels is essentially TikTok set within Instagram, so there’s no need to learn an entirely new social media interface. If you’re in the Instagram app, simply click on the Reels tab, and violà, you’re scrolling down a rabbit hole of short-form video content.
2. YouTube Shorts
Another familiar face positioning itself as a top TikTok replacement is YouTube Shorts. Like Instagram, Shorts is part of an already established and trusted social media platform. Home to over 2.5 billion global monthly users, YouTube’s Shorts operate the same way as TikTok, offering short-form video content on various topics.
3. RedNote (Xiaohongshu)
Arguably, the most talked-about TikTok alternative is RedNote, a Chinese-owned social media app that’s currently the #1 social media app in the App Store. RedNote emphasizes community and offers a mix of short-form video and live stream content. Featuring a layout similar to Pinterest and in-app shopping opportunities, it’s shaping up to be a worthy replacement for TikTok.
That said, RedNote is a Chinese-owned company, and if the U.S. government decides to continue enforcing security sanctions on Chinese social companies, this app could follow the same path as TikTok. For now, though, it’s attracting many former TikTok users.
4. Lemon8
Lemon8 is TikTok’s sister app, promoting itself as a “lifestyle community focused app.” The best way to describe Lemon8 is as a mashup of Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. Users can share photo collections and short videos with followers.
Unfortunately, Lemon8 is owned by ByteDance, the same Chinese company that owns TikTok. So, if the U.S. government decides to pursue it, Lemon8 could also face a potential ban.
5. Clapper
Clapper is another video-sharing community that lets you post videos up to three minutes long. In addition to creative video content, users can stream live videos and interact with other users.
The best part? Clapper is an American-owned platform, so it doesn’t face any potential future issues related to bans or sanctions. The downside? Clapper is ad-free, so original content is king for businesses looking to get in on the action. Plus, Clapper is considered an adult-focused app, with an age 17+ audience, so it’s a bit more limited than TikTok.
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