TikTok’s impending US ban is looming as we draw closer to January 19, and some American creators have already waved their last goodbye to the app. “I'm just going to end it here,” video game and comic creator Logan Thompson said in a video titled ‘last post’ in December 2024. After sharing links to his (mostly unused) YouTube and Instagram accounts, he told his over 114k followers that he was “heading deeper into the realm of internet obscurity”. In the comments, fans saluted Thompson and even asked what he’d do if the ban didn’t go ahead. “I’ma double back and pretend nothing happened,” Thompson said.

TikTok’s fate in America is still uncertain. In April 2024, Congress signed a constitutionality of legislation into federal law that could force TikTok’s Chinese owners, ByteDance, to sell the app to a US company or face an outright ban. Then, in December 2024, a federal appeals court upheld that law, ruling that the government has a national security interest in regulating TikTok in the US. Today, Tiktok will argue its case in the hands of the Supreme Court, facing off in a hearing against the US government. If the high court doesn’t block or delay enforcement of the law (which is what ByteDance is asking for), TikTok has said it will cease all US operations by January 19.

There’s an entirely possible scenario that, within the next nine days, millions of Americans will wake up unable to resume their usual TikTok toilet scrolling, which would reshape the social media landscape across the country and around the world. This could be a welcome opportunity for some to lower their screen time. Still, for others, the thought alone is anxiety-inducing – people are already scrambling and urging everyone to migrate to one new app (like Lemon8, also owned by TikTok). And, as much as an outright ban across the US would impact brands and users, for creators who make the majority of their earnings through Tikok alone, the decision would reshape their lives, careers and finances.

Ahead of the Supreme Court ruling – which could be issued within days – we asked four US-based TikTok creators how they are preparing for the app’s potential disappearance.

Kay Poyer

When did you start posting on TikTok, and how has your life changed since?

Kay Poyer: I started posting on TikTok in 2020 during the pandemic. I was living with a friend, and we were just day-drinking and fingerpainting. There was just nothing else to do. TikTok has clarified the direction I want to go in life beyond the internet. I’ve connected with a bunch of people I respect who have encouraged me to move into writing and entertainment, and the whole experience has helped me find my path (as well as put food on the table).

What was your first reaction to the potential ban? How do you feel now?

Kay Poyer: Honestly, it was just a deep sigh. So many people will have to rebuild platforms from scratch, including myself. But I’m not worried; I know I can capture attention at this point.

How would not having access to TikTok impact you financially?

Kay Poyer: TikTok is definitely my primary source of income. My podcast Meat Bus also pulls in money, but I am definitely going to diversify my platforms so I don’t ever have to face this again. Thankfully, my manager and I are working on a lot of cool things for the future, but right now, the scary part is just making sure I have money in the meantime.

What are your plans for if the ban goes ahead, and where can people follow you?

Kay Poyer: I’m starting a personal YouTube channel and planning to invest a lot more into our podcast. If the ban does happen, the girls can find me on Spotify or Patreon hosting Meat Bus, or they can subscribe on YouTube @KayPoyer.

What would you miss most about the app? 

Kay Poyer: TikTok is cool because technically, anyone can blow up, but that doesn’t mean anyone can sustain a platform. TikTok has allowed me and so many other people to break into content creation in a way that no other platform really ever has. It’s a big setback and a loss for the internet if we lose it.

Nick Cheo

When did you start posting on TikTok, and how has your life changed since?

Nick Cheo: February, 2024. TikTok made it possible for me to chase my dreams, so I think my life is awesome right now. I get to do what I love and meet cool people along the way.

What was your first reaction to the potential ban? How do you feel now?

Nick Cheo: I was like, ‘Damn, I just got started on here and now they’re banning it?’ I’m sad that they’re getting rid of it because a lot of people find their voice there, and it gives a lot of talented people an opportunity to shine through.

How would not having access to TikTok impact you financially?

Nick Cheo: TikTok is not my main source of outcome, but it definitely is the main thing that gets me other opportunities like DJ gigs. It is also very helpful for meeting people in the same field.

What are your plans for if the ban goes ahead, and where can people follow you?

Nick Cheo: I crosspost on Instagram and TikTok, so I’m not preparing for much, but I’ve been trying to push my YouTube on both platforms for a while now. I plan to continue being a great DJ and use my resources to push content on other platforms. Everyone can find me in real life roaming around the streets of New York.

What would you miss most about the app? 

Nick Cheo: I will miss the brainrot the most.

Elysia Berman

When did you start posting on TikTok, and how has your life changed since?

Elysia Berman: January 1, 2024, was when I started posting regularly. I was using it as a visual journal to document my recovery from debt and shopping addiction. The extra income has allowed me to pay off $32k of credit card debt, go to Paris Fashion Week, build a community of people who love fashion and sustainability, and make many new friendships IRL.

What was your first reaction to the potential ban? How do you feel now?

Elysia Berman: Frustrated and crestfallen. I feel like they're stripping away a major element of free speech in the US and taking away a community I built brick by brick.

How would not having access to TikTok impact you financially?

Elysia Berman: I do make some money off Tiktok, but not nearly as much as other folks. It’s about 25 per cent of my total income. I have a full-time job, so I will still be able to pay off debt and save, but I won’t be able to do it as comfortably as I was when I was earning income from TikTok. A lot of the financial anxiety I had before this app will come back, and my ability to save rapidly will decrease.

What are your plans for if the ban goes ahead, and where can people follow you?

Elysia Berman: I am trying to migrate as much of my audience to Instagram as possible and plan to launch YouTube in the new year. My handle is @ElysiaBerman so go follow me! But both platforms are so different from TikTok. Youtube will be more long-form, obviously, and then Instagram is where I’m focusing on actually styling all the clothes I bought when I was a shopping addict. I can't talk about it as much there though, the way I could with TikTok, so hopefully, YouTube bridges the gap.

Tyreak Hopkins

When did you start posting on TikTok, and how has your life changed since?

Tyreak Hopkins: I started seriously posting on TikTok at the end of 2023. My life has changed tremendously. I get recognised in the street almost every day. I’ve had brands reach out to me, I get a lot of PR packages in the mail, and I’m getting invited to events. My life today is nothing like it was a year ago and is still changing every day. It makes me very optimistic for 2025, despite the looming ban.

What was your first reaction to the potential ban? How do you feel now?

Tyreak Hopkins: I was angered at the news of the TikTok ban. Not only because the app was and is changing my life in real-time, but more so at how quickly it passed through the House and the Senate. For years, we have watched our government struggle to get anything passed that would make the lives of Americans better but, somehow, a TikTok ban just skated through like it was nothing. I was shocked, confused, and annoyed.

How would not having access to TikTok impact you financially?

Tyreak Hopkins: TikTok is currently my primary social media platform, and I love the community that I have fostered there. A TikTok ban would take that all away. I make money on TikTok, primarily through the Creator Rewards Program. I work full time, so while I don’t depend on TikTok, it currently makes up about a third of my income. The app has also provided me with a stream of income that I did not plan on getting. You would be surprised at how much money people make on TikTok. I’m definitely going to miss the extra cash.

What are your plans for if the ban goes ahead, and where can people follow you?

Tyreak Hopkins: My plan is to simply take my content to other platforms. My Instagram and Youtube is @TyreakToldYou. I have been actively posting on Instagram, and my following has grown just as quickly as my following on TikTok. I am also committing to starting my podcast so, if anything, TikTok will have just been the starting point in this new social media adventure of mine.

What would you miss most about the app?

Tyreak Hopkins: I think the biggest thing I’ll miss is the app itself. No other platform curates and distributes information the way TikTok does. TikTok is a super app that is, in my opinion, lightyears ahead of its competitors. It will be very difficult to adjust back to a life without TikTok.