TikTok Bans, Meta Bullies, and National Security Risks, Oh My!

That's a pretty weighted title, right? At this point, regardless of age or socioeconomic standing, you've probably heard about the bipartisan bill congress is looking to pass where it restricts social media access to Americans from foreign owned platforms. For many of us, especially the ones who utilize these social media platforms to market & brand content, this could be detrimental to businesses around the globe.

Weixin, or WeChat, a Chinese based social media platform was launched in 2011 and allowed its users to "one stop shop". One thing Weixin did successully was that it found a way to integrate the network into its users everyday routines. From booking taxis, to shopping, texting friends, and even ordering food, Weixin was that one place all users could turn to in order to fulfill their daily needs.

Weixin was an overwhelming success with over 1 billion active monthly users. So successful in fact, that another China based social networking platform reads very similar.

TikTok, a secondary China based social networking platform much like Weixin, utilizes algorithms to showcase content to viewers based on their engagement on the platform. Tiktok has followed Weixin's path in that the platform not only allows for consumer generated content, but it also provides Amazon storefronts from content creators to share their products, and gave the publishing industry a consumer driven path to product brand & market.

With well over 2 billion active users, TikTok has surpassed other platforms such as Instagram, who is known to be the leader in social selling, and Twitter. With the engagement numbers for TikTok growing well over 100% from 2020 to 2022, Instagram and Facebook have seen a consistent decrease.

Since the TikTok ban bill was first publicized in late January 2023, META stocks have seen the largest upswing in over six months. Now, it very well could be coincidence, but the fact META has onboarded a GOP consulting firm and the TikTok ban bill is being driven by republican lawmakers in congress seems a bit too coincidental. At least, this is the thought by the very free-speeched content creators of the beloved TikTok network and writers at the Washington Post.

Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. As for us writers & authors, be working on building that email list!! You know...just in case :)