TikTok influencer Ken Waks calls app’s ban “hypocritical”

As the United States inches closer to a potential TikTok ban this Sunday, creators and businesses are grappling with the reality of losing a platform that has redefined digital expression and marketing. 

Chicago-based TikTok influencer Ken Waks, who has nearly a million followers and focuses on news, tech, and business, spoke with Chicago Star about why the platform is important to him and other creators. He highlighted TikTok's unique appeal, emphasizing its ability to empower those who don’t fit into the conventional molds of traditional social media.

“Tiktok really gave opportunity for those who don't necessarily fit in the stereotypical buckets,” Waks said, reflecting on how the app’s low barrier to entry allowed users to connect with audiences worldwide. “You could be someone anywhere with something to share, teach, or speak about, and you'd find your audience.”

But this creative haven is now under threat, leaving full-time creators fearing for their livelihoods. Waks expressed empathy for creators who have left their full-time jobs to pursue TikTok, fearing they may lose up to "50 percent of their income, maybe more." He also noted TikTok’s modest revenue-sharing model, pointing out that creators earn relatively little for the effort and scale of their audiences.

Beyond the impact on individual creators, Waks highlighted the potential economic consequences for businesses, particularly local ones in cities like Chicago. He questioned, "How many businesses get the majority of their business from going viral on Tiktok? How many times has that put them on the map?" 

Waks also delved into the historical context of the TikTok ban. In 2020, President Donald Trump raised national security concerns about TikTok, citing fears that the app’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, could share user data with the Chinese government. Trump issued an executive order threatening to ban the platform in the United States unless ByteDance sold its U.S. operations to an American company. The move led to negotiations with several potential buyers, including Microsoft and Oracle, but no sale was finalized. The controversy marked the beginning of ongoing debates about TikTok’s ownership and its implications for national security.

Waks found it "hypocritical" that this potential solution was "almost laughed at" at the time, but is now being seriously considered.

Furthermore, Waks expressed concern about the lack of viable competitors to TikTok, highlighting the dominance of Meta in the social media landscape. He observed that "There is no one to challenge them or to really push them in any way to be better or do better," raising questions about the potential for further consolidation and the lack of competition in the industry.

Waks’s concerns are echoed by industry experts who are closely watching the platform’s uncertain future. Damian Rollison, director of market insights at SOCi, a marketing platform for multi-location brands, shared his thoughts on the potential ruling and its far-reaching implications.

“On this important day for TikTok's future in the U.S., it appears that the Supreme Court is leaning in the government's favor,” Rollison said. “Though we need to await the court's decision to be sure, we may be swiftly approaching a dark day for TikTok's 170 million U.S. users, when the app they spend hours on every day is taken away by force of law. Of course, the incoming president's vow to save TikTok is still a factor, so even if the Supreme Court doesn't save TikTok, we are likely to see an effort to delay or overturn the law after Inauguration Day.”

Rollison also pointed to the uncertainty surrounding ByteDance’s response. “Strangely, we've heard very little from ByteDance itself about the company's plans if the ban takes effect. Sale to a U.S. entity seems unlikely but is still a possible outcome,” he noted.