Life After TikTok: What comes next?

By Marvin King

Every good thing they say must come to an end. That seems to be the case with the very lit and lucrative social media platform TikTok, as its ban placed by the US Supreme Court, citing security concerns and safety of user information from its Chinese manufacturers, took effect today, and the social networking app was taken off the App Store.

Amidst the chaos and expected social media uproar following it’s unexpected demise, the questions begging to be answered include: what other alternatives are it’s ardent users expected to look up to now as a leisure getaway or a source of income? The platform, which was originally launched in China in September 2016, saw a sudden surge during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown as users took to the platform as a means of escape from the fear and uncertainty brought about by the dreaded pandemic at the time.

All of this even got more exciting as the app further morphed into a source of income for many, as users could earn a living from coins and virtual gifts being received while streaming live or from sheer engagement. There was still more good where that came from, as the app became a highly sought-after search engine for content and information as well, playing a major role in influencing music streaming and breaking forth some amazing new talent. Now imagine the despair in the hearts of many right now, as these awesome features won’t be possible or available to users anymore.

Furthermore, there seems to be a silver lining, as TikTok’s shut-down message to U.S. users added, “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!” Hopefully, this will quell some of the current frenzy and give hope for a loophole in the situation following President Trump’s inauguration.

To add, there’s also a conversation involving tech billionaire Elon Musk about restoring the once-loved Vine app, which has its origins in the United States, as a good substitute, as Elon notably mentioned in a tweet. Other apps that were shut down today alongside TikTok include CapCut, Lemon8, Hypic, and Gauth Math. Let’s keep our fingers crossed as we see how this whole situation pans out.