Should You Abandon The Tik Tok Ship?
After a terrible week for the social media platform after a very interesting meeting on Capitol Hill, is it time to re-think or even get rid of you Tik Tok Strategy? Have you heard about their next application Lemon8?
In recent times, there has been speculation and uncertainty surrounding the future of TikTok in the United States, and businesses have started to wonder if they should give up on this platform. Let's dig deeper and examine the facts to see if abandoning TikTok is a wise decision.
Firstly, let's address the issue of TikTok's potential ban. In 2020, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order that threatened to ban TikTok in the US due to concerns over data privacy and security. However, this ban never came into effect, and the situation was put on hold by the Biden administration. In September 2021, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction that prevented the US government from enforcing the TikTok ban. However, just recently US Senators have shown support for expanding President Joe Biden’s powers to ban Tik Tok
The threat of a ban looms large after the pummeling that the Tik Tok CEO took from Senators on both sides of the aisle, and it's important to acknowledge that TikTok's fate in the US is uncertain. But the app's parent company, ByteDance, has been taking steps to address US concerns. They have established a data center in the US, hired a US-based CEO, and committed to increasing transparency regarding data collection and storage practices. These actions suggest that ByteDance is actively working to address the concerns of US regulators and ensure the app's future in the country.
The other concern that businesses may have is the potential for TikTok to be broken up. There have been calls for the app to be separated from its Chinese parent company due to concerns about Chinese government influence over US data. However, it's important to note that such a breakup would be unprecedented and would require a legal process that could take years to complete. Part of that would entail hosting all the data with a US based company like Oracle for more direct oversight and to keep it out of the hands of the Chinese government.
Furthermore, it's unclear if breaking up TikTok would address the concerns about Chinese government influence. The data privacy concerns raised by the US government are about the handling of user data, and separating TikTok from its parent company may not necessarily solve this problem. It's also worth noting that breaking up TikTok could have negative consequences for businesses that rely on the platform for marketing and advertising. With many companies offering Tik Tok built into TVs or using the vertical video to educate customers on their internal initiatives outside of just selling product it really removes the ‘freedom’ from being able to choose where you consume your social media.
In terms of user engagement and popularity, TikTok has proven to be a formidable platform. As of 2021, TikTok had over 100 million active users in the US alone, making it one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. Its algorithm-driven approach to content delivery has enabled it to compete with more established platforms like Facebook and Instagram. In addition, the app's focus on short-form video content has made it a favorite among younger generations, which are increasingly becoming a target market for businesses.
While the future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain, there are indications that ByteDance is taking steps to address US concerns and ensure the app's survival. The threat of a ban or a breakup cannot be completely dismissed, but it's important to consider the popularity of the platform and the potential benefits it can bring to businesses. As with any social media platform, businesses should consider the risks and benefits of using TikTok, but at this time, there is no evidence to suggest that they should give up on the platform altogether.
One would say that by older politicians getting so upset with the app it only makes the younger generations have a knee jerk reaction and want to be on Tik Tok even more. The more ruckus made about the application the more interest people will have to check it out and in the process give up a ton of data before it is stopped.
ByteDance, parent company of Tik Tok, has already started to hedge the chance Tik Tok is banned by promoting another social media called Lemon8. They look to be paying Tik Tok influencers to try out the app and are running ads inside of Tik Tok to advertise Lemon8 downloads on Google Play & the Apple App Store.
Maybe the best answer is to continue on with Tik Tok and the strategy that has been developed and if it is banned, migrate over to Lemon8. You likely want to claim your brand page over there now as it is not looking so good for Tik Tok.
To download Lemon8 for your iPhone click here or if you have an Android phone click here.
