TikTok Advocates Slam House Bill, Citing Damage to Economy
Small-business owners, educators, activists, and young people who rely on TikTok are expressing concern after the House passed a bill that could potentially lead to a ban of the popular app. Many believe that TikTok provides more benefits than harm compared to other social media platforms.
Heather DiRocco, an artist and content creator from Montana, is one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the state’s court-blocked TikTok ban. She criticized the House’s decision as “ignorant” and expressed fear of losing her biggest platform as a content creator if the bill becomes law.
Nora Benavidez, a civil rights and free-speech attorney, argued that the requirement for TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, to divest itself of the app within 180 days of the bill becoming law effectively amounts to a ban. She believes that such a move would have a devastating economic impact, citing a study by Oxford Economics that highlighted TikTok’s significant contribution to small-business revenue and U.S. GDP.
Rep. Robert Garcia emphasized the importance of TikTok for small-business owners and creators, particularly young people. He highlighted the app’s role in providing a platform for representation and connecting marginalized communities.
Gigi Gonzales, a financial educator from Chicago, shared how a TikTok ban would affect her financially and cut off access to crucial information, especially in the realm of financial literacy. She stressed the app’s role as an educational hub and a means of reaching a wide audience.
As the debate over the bill continues, advocates and creators are voicing their concerns about the potential impact on their livelihoods and the broader economy. The future of TikTok hangs in the balance as the Senate considers the implications of the proposed legislation.
