A TikTok ban would turn out OK, eventually

In case you missed it, there's a potential U.S. TikTok ban looming over the heads of American TikTokers and app users. The ban will be decided in January 2025, and would specifically impact those using the app in the United States.

There is, understandably, a lot of fear surrounding this possibility. TikTok has become the most popular app for sharing and consuming videos in a continuous feed, and many people have come to rely largely (or entirely) on the TikTok Creator Program for some or in some cases all of their income. Losing it, for many, would feel devastating.

But the potential for growth, community building, and other potential benefits of an app like TikTok aren't completely gone if a ban does eventually take effect in the United States. It would be a huge adjustment that everyone would have to get on board with, but it's not an impossible feat.

Content creators and consumers alike would simply have to go to other short-form video sharing and viewing options such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. It would not be ideal -- not everyone would gather on the same app all at the same time the way we do with TikTok, meaning creators would have to upload to multiple platforms and engage with audiences in multiple digital locations.

But it would be better than nothing. Which certainly doesn't help ease anxieties about making money or connecting with brands and other creators. Sometimes, however, in situations like these, creators need to come together to figure out how to make the most out of what remains.

There are plenty of reasons why a TikTok ban will or won't happen, but unfortunately, that's not up to us. It's so largely out of our control that the best we can do is think about how to be proactive, rather than reactive, if TikTok in the U.S. does become inaccessible.