Social media management is part of our work at dpeg Marketing Company. We work with companies to create a branded social media strategy to enhance their team’s spontaneous efforts. We believe in the power of social media for brand awareness. While we generally don’t manage our clients’ TikTok pages, we encourage them to use the fastest-growing platform on the web. But if you’ve read the news lately, you know TikTok may face big battles. What does this mean for U.S. content creators and small businesses who make these short videos online? Let’s take a closer look.

The History of TikTok

When TikTok emerged in 2016, it felt like a novel invention, even though some of us remember the ill-fated Vine. It was launched by a Chinese start-up called ByteDance and allowed creators to make concise videos to share across platforms. The ability to share directly to other social media from the TikTok app set it apart and made it take off the way it did.

Data Privacy Concerns

However, despite its popularity, TikTok is not without its controversy. The FBI and FCC have both raised concerns about the platform sharing user data. While we’re used to data being bought and sold as a commodity by plenty of other online apps, the big concern with TikTok is how business is run in China. The fear is that data collected on TikTok, which includes location, browsing history, and biometric identifiers, could be shared directly with the authoritarian Chinese government. This can pose a severe risk for the United States and individuals.

Congressional Hearings

On March 23^rd, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew appeared before Congress to discuss the company and address concerns. The issues raised ranged from China’s influence over the platform and TikTok’s effect on American children. While there are fears of the actual problems, the congressional hearing devolved into anti-Chinese xenophobic questioning, raising different concerns over why lawmakers want to enact a total platform ban.

Challenges with Enacting a Ban

With as many concerns as we have over the data privacy of TikTok, there are just as many potential problems with banning it outright. One possible challenge is that the app’s demographic skews very young, which could influence voters’ decisions. Alienating young voters can be a big problem for all political parties. Another problem is that many multinational corporations rely on TikTok for portions of their business. The government is just as concerned about alienating businesses as voters.

Alternatives to TikTok

Whenever a situation like this arises, people want to know what alternatives are out there. And, like when people threaten mass exodus of other platforms, there aren’t many that compare to the big names, which keep more people engaged due to sheer numbers. But if you are considering a change from TikTok, here are a few things to consider.

• YouTube Shorts: YouTube is still the premiere platform for longer-form videos, but there is an option for creating and sharing shorts.
• Instagram Reels: If you want the reach of TikTok, the best alternative is Instagram. The reels are shared between the Meta platforms, including Facebook.
• Snapchat: Long before TikTok was Snapchat. However, these short videos disappear after a while, so they aren’t meant for long-term marketing strategies.
• Triller: If you’re into short-from videos to peep at celebrities, Triller is growing fast and gives you that endorphin rush.

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