China-owned video-sharing platform TikTok is on the verge of being banned nationwide in the United States. A possible ban will force more than 150 million of his users in the US to uninstall the app, while also affecting 5 million small businesses and his content creators.
TikTok has transformed from a social platform for content creators to a major entertainment force that has disrupted Hollywood and changed the entertainment industry.
Also read: Congressman says TikTok ban won’t guarantee data safety for Americans
A TikTok ban could have disastrous consequences not only for the app’s biggest stars and small businesses, but also for movie studios, record labels, casting directors, agents and actors who will have to drastically change their business practices.
TikTok hasn’t turned from a dance and lip-syncing video-sharing app into something more, an unprecedented voice-amplifying platform.
“TikTok is the most democratized content platform ever and has revolutionized Hollywood.” Said Adam Faze, Studio Chief of entertainment studio FazeWorld.
Consequences of a TikTok ban
TikTok has provided an opportunity for individuals previously excluded from the media and entertainment industry to bypass traditional gatekeepers and enter the industry.
“I see TikTok as the old days of free network TV … Taking it away is an era where we rely on legacy media brands and what Hollywood wants us to see. Marketing budget to find an audience,” says Faze.
According to a recent study by Washington PostTikTok’s user base is made up of a greater proportion of young people and non-white individuals.
TikTok’s audience is younger, more diverse, and earns less than other social media platforms. 53% of non-white adults and 59% of Americans ages 18-34 use TikTok. Studies show that people with lower incomes and without a college degree are also more likely to use TikTok.
Faze produced a successful TV show for TikTok. “Keep the Meter Running” was an instant hit, reaching millions of viewers.
The studio chief revealed that while filming the episode in London, its success on TikTok had the production team chased by the show’s younger fans.
Reaching users at scale
Alex Sanger, executive vice president of global digital marketing at Universal Pictures, said the company relies heavily on TikTok for its movie marketing.
He explained that TikTok is a bridge for the company to “basically reach everyone at scale.”
“We use it as an awareness tool, we use it to drive deeper engagement with our IP, and we use it further down the funnel to convert people into moviegoers.”
It’s natural to wonder what would happen if that recognition builder was no longer available.
TikTok is a record label ‘discovery mechanism’
Despite its growing popularity, TikTok faces accusations of sharing users’ personal data with the Chinese government and could be banned in the US.
The crackdown has unsettled the music and entertainment industries.
Tatiana Sirisano of media research, an entertainment industry consultancy, warned that a TikTok ban would greatly disrupt the music industry.
“This is not just about artists losing their tools, it’s an important discovery mechanism for major labels themselves, [potential ban] It’s more important than you think and related to your bottom line,” said Cirisano.
The nature of “artist marketing and introduction” is also changing.
“TikTok is what the music industry has been relying on for the past few years to solve some of these challenges,” Cirisano claims.
TikTok is also a revenue generator, with the industry making money from licensing deals for tracks played on social media apps.
entertainment line blur
Bill Rosenblatt, president of GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies, said: put the music industry It’s one of many companies wondering how a potential TikTok ban might affect their bottom line.
Six years of super-rapid growth has allowed TikTok to third largest The social media platform with the most users after Facebook and Instagram.
Do not ban tiktok! This may force the music industry to once again invest in developing artists, resulting in sustainable, project-focused artists rather than plaguing one-hit wonders. can !!!! pic.twitter.com/CY2HMJXLGl
— Thomston (@ThomstonMusic) March 24, 2023
“Entertainment is by far the largest content category for TikTok videos, but we don’t know how much of it is specifically related to music,” said Rosenblatt.
Rosenblatt noted that categories within “entertainment” are blurred on TikTok, with many users becoming famous for lip-syncing, dance routines, or videos set to someone else’s music. However, only a minority of users distribute or promote their music on the app.
To understand the impact on the music industry if TikTok disappears from the U.S. market, it helps to understand the impact on business so far, Rosenblatt explained.
A potential ban on TikTok in the US could have serious consequences not only for its users, but also for the entertainment and music industry, which has come to rely on the platform for marketing and revenue.
It remains to be seen how this situation will develop and what the final outcome will be.
