Content creator in the US compares the TikTok ban to 'prohibition' as others decry Supreme Court ruling

18 January 2025, 16:21 | Updated: 18 January 2025, 16:23

TikTok content creators have blasted the Supreme Court's ruling to ban TikTok in the US
TikTok content creators have blasted the Supreme Court's ruling to ban TikTok in the US. Picture: Social media/Alamy

By Shannon Cook

The US TikTok ban has led to an onslaught of content creators in the US criticising the Supreme Court decision.

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TikTok will be banned in the United States from Sunday, the Supreme Court ruled yesterday.

The top judges in the US decided to uphold a ban on the popular short-form video app, which has more than 170 million users in the country.

The court ruled the "dangers" the app poses to national security overide questions over free speech.

With many TikTok content creators relying on TikTok for their livelihoods, content creators across the US have lamented the Supreme Court decision.

Read more: ‘No plans’ for UK TikTok ban

Read more: TikTok warns it will ‘go dark’ without clarity over court ruling

TikTok is expected to be banned in the US from Sunday, according to a Supreme Court ruling
TikTok is expected to be banned in the US from Sunday, according to a Supreme Court ruling. Picture: Getty

'Prohibition'

Nikita Redkar is a a content creator on the popular app and runs the channel Bimbo University - a history, news and economics channel targeted at women.

In a video posted to TikTok, she shares the comparisons between the impending ban and prohibition, stating: "One reason for its [alcohol] banning is that it was making men more violent. Prohibition also stemmed from xenophobia.

"As lawmakers worried about imaginary drunken black mobs attacking white people and it was often a stand in for another issue. Prohibition had a lot of unintended consequences such as the resentment of the working class, businesses such as restaurants and theatres losing lots of money and the elimination of thousands of jobs."

She adds that the prohibition era in the US didn't stop people drinking and instead made alcohol more "unregulated".

In another impassioned video posted to TikTok, Ms Redkar says: "The TikTok ban is another example of the American shift to conservatism."

'Livelihood'

Meanwhile, Emily Senn - a cruise ship headliner singer and actor with almost 350k followers on TikTok - posted an emotional video where she said the ban has taken away "millions of people's income and livelihood".

"To the US government, I'm never forgiving you for this. I'm never gonna trust you ever again".

She adds: "This has been a sense of community for me for years now and it got me through really, really hard times in my life".

Speaking to Paul Brand on LBC today, British TikTok journalist Sophia Smith Galer criticised the ban in the US. She spoke about TikTok's innovation in social media and how it paved the way for vertical short-form video content across other platforms - including Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

As users prepare for the looming ban of the Byte Dance-owned app, American TikTokers are reportedly moving to Chinese app Rednote.

The ban comes despite President Joe Biden support for the app.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: "President Biden’s position on TikTok has been clear for months, including since Congress sent a bill in overwhelming, bipartisan fashion to the President’s desk."

The video-sharing app will "go dark" as early as next week following the ban - unless it is sold to a non-Chinese company. US President-elect Donald Trump previously requested that the Supreme Court delay the ban in a bid to formulate a "political resolution".

US officials and lawmakers had accused TikTok's owner ByteDance of being linked to the Chinese government, but the firm denies this.

The US Supreme Court upheld a law banning TikTok which would make the popular Chinese app unavailable on app stores. The ban will go into effect on Sunday 19 January. Unless its parent company, ByteDance sells its U.S. operations to an American entity.
The US Supreme Court upheld a law banning TikTok which would make the popular Chinese app unavailable on app stores. The ban will go into effect on Sunday 19 January. Unless its parent company, ByteDance sells its U.S. operations to an American entity. Picture: Getty

A statement shared by the Supreme Court reads: "There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community."

But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary."

For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights."The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed. It is so ordered," the statement ends.

The app has 170 million users in the US, and in April Congress passed a bill which President Joe Biden signed into law, which included the divest or ban requirement.

TikTok and ByteDance have filed several legal challenges against the law, stating that it threatens American free speech protections with minimal success.

As no potential buyer has emerged, the app is almost certain to be banned on Sunday.