ATLANTA — The fate of TikTok hangs in the balance as a bill requiring the popular app to sever ties with its parent company, ByteDance, to avoid a ban in the United States awaits Senate deliberation.
The measure, already passed by the House, has sparked concerns among content creators in metro Atlanta who rely on the platform for income.
For Shanteiria McFarland, a single video propelled her into TikTok stardom and transformed her life overnight.
"I started posting my hood 911 operator videos, my first video went viral," McFarland, a 26-year-old from Atlanta said.
With over 200,000 followers, McFarland has cultivated a community on TikTok where she shares snippets of her life and offers solace to others. However, she fears that her livelihood is now under threat.
"The House of Representatives passed H.R. 7521 last week," McFarland said in a recent video expressing her concerns.
If enacted, the bill would require TikTok to cut ties with ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, or face exclusion from the lucrative U.S. market.
Republican Georgia Congressman Earl "Buddy" Carter, a sponsor of the bill, emphasized the importance of safeguarding American users' data.
"Hostile foreign nations should not have control over any application that mines and stores American users’ data," Carter stated in a released statement.
TikTok, which boasts over 170 million American users, has expressed hope that the Senate will consider the economic ramifications of a ban. A spokesperson for the company emphasized the potential impact on content creators like McFarland, whose livelihoods could be significantly affected.
McFarland echoed those concerns and acknowledged that while social media isn't her sole source of income, a ban would have far-reaching consequences for many creators.
"For those people who are, it's going to affect their livelihoods a lot," she emphasized.
With uncertainty looming, McFarland is rallying her followers and urging them to support her while they still can.
"Follow me while you got the chance now let’s go," she said in a recent video.
For McFarland and countless other content creators in metro Atlanta, TikTok isn't just a platform; it's a lifeline—a means of connection, expression, and income.
As the Senate deliberates on the fate of the app, its decision will reverberate across communities shaping the future of social media in America.