In the world of digital media, Generative AI sparks both excitement and concern. This is especially true among publishers and independent content creators.

Last week, creators took a stand in New York City with the launch of Raptive’s ‘Keep It Real’ campaign, an advocacy effort designed to raise awareness about the impact of AI on their livelihoods.

As I sat in the room, listening to stories from food bloggers, designers, and country music aficionados, I couldn’t help but draw parallels between their challenges and the ones publishers face.

Digital media and advertising is grappling with a shifting landscape where AI threatens to commodify human creativity and diminish revenue streams. And if creators are rallying together to protect their work, shouldn’t publishers do the same?

Setting the Stage: The Creator’s Call to Action

ABC News anchor Linsey Davis was the surprise host of the day, opening the event by celebrating creators’ work as the “heart and soul of the internet.” Her words resonated throughout, highlighting the core message: creators — and, by extension, publishers — are the lifeblood of the web, facing challenges that deserve urgent attention.

But creators’ work is now threatened by the rise of generative AI, which scrapes content to deliver quick answers, often at the expense of the nuanced stories they bring to life.

Creators vs. AI: Navigating the SEO Shake-Up

The ‘Keep It Real’ campaign centers on a simple but powerful message: AI should innovate responsibly without exploiting the creators who pour their hearts into their work. Creators shared how generative AI scrapes and repurposes their work without consent or compensation. This issue hits home for publishers who have spent years building quality content to engage audiences.

Scott Messer‘s analysis of the latest SEO challenges for publishers sheds light on how Google’s introduction of AI-generated summaries and features like Search Generative Experience (SGE) alters search engine results pages (SERPs). This shift pushes traditional organic results further down the page, impacting CTRs for top organic positions. For creators, this means that even high-quality, nuanced content risks being overshadowed by generic AI outputs, threatening their visibility and revenue.

Kaitlin Leung of The Woks of Life illustrates the value of discoverable, human-created content: “We slowly but surely started to attract people who were so thankful and grateful to have found us because they were also looking for a similar platform to be able to learn about their heritage more, and cook recipes that kind of were always the domain of their parents or their grandparents or their aunts or their uncles.”

However, with AI-driven search results potentially limiting such discoveries, creators like Kaitlin worry that these meaningful connections between content creators and their audiences may become increasingly rare. It’s clear that AI poses threats, but some publishers are exploring ways to unlock AI opportunities that can preserve revenue and drive growth.

The Economic Impact of AI on Creators

Like creators, publishers rely on nuanced, human-generated content to attract audiences, which opens up the gates to advertising dollars. But with generative AI serving up bland, one-size-fits-all information, creators and publishers risk losing their unique voice — and, ultimately, their revenue.

Michael Sanchez, CEO of Raptive, puts this threat into stark perspective: “Let’s put this in human terms for Raptive creators, this is their livelihood. They do this full-time. It is the primary way they feed their families. There are 1000s of creators across Raptive who earn their living from their content and make less than $100,000 per year for one family, if they lose half of their traffic due to AI replacing their content, they lose half of their income.”

Today, 15% of every dollar advertisers spend on the open web goes through a Raptive site, earning creators over $2.5 billion in revenue. So a 50% reduction in traffic would impact individual creators’ revenue and threaten the broader creator economy, which supports millions of jobs.

Building Communities and Connections

Lindsay and Bjork Ostrom of Pinch of Yum said it best: The internet should continue to be a place where independent voices can thrive. It’s a sentiment publishers know all too well.

Echoing this idea, Tieghan Gerard of Half Baked Harvest, emphasized the importance of community building. “The time I spend on social media is the time I spend interacting with my community and building that community, making that community strong, and making those people feel heard. It’s so important. Nobody feels heard anymore, and we have the power to do that.”

The Role of Advertisers: Supporting Human-Generated Content

The ‘Keep It Real’ campaign calls on advertisers to invest in human-generated content that drives real results and engages audiences on a deeper level. As AI-generated content starts flooding the web, advertisers might be tempted to pour money into platforms that offer quick wins and endless streams of generic content. However, this approach undermines the authenticity that both creators and publishers bring to the table.

Marketers should consider how their media plans and spending align with the campaign’s message. How can the industry ensure that advertising dollars support high-quality, human-centric content?

This could mean reassessing where programmatic buys are directed or prioritizing direct partnerships with publishers who maintain human touchpoints in their content.

Publishers It’s Time to Innovate Responsibly

In creators’ rally for responsible innovation, they want it to be known —  they’re not anti-AI; they’re pro-ethical AI. They want to be part of the conversation, advocating for systems that value their contributions.

Publishers, too, must find ways to leverage AI responsibly while supporting the creator economy, ensuring that both creators and publishers can thrive. That might mean adopting practices that respect the human element of content creation or finding ways to collaborate with creators on shared initiatives that promote authentic, valuable storytelling.

Ad Tech and the Human Connection

Programmatically, ad tech builds a bridge between advertisers and the content that audiences consume. This connector role directly impacts the future of human-generated content online.

It’s time to explore how ad tech can support responsible AI practices that don’t undercut the human connections at the heart of the digital ecosystem.

It’s time to ask: How can ad tech support an internet where independent voices can thrive? It may involve prioritizing ad placements on websites that invest in human-generated stories or encouraging advertisers to value quality over quantity in their content partnerships.

What the Ad Tech Industry Can Do to Keep It Real

• Collaboration: Just as creators are banding together to advocate for their rights, publishers need to engage in collective action. Working with industry bodies to push for fair practices in AI use is a start.
• Support Quality Content: Encourage advertisers to align their spending with websites that offer the depth, nuance, and authenticity AI can’t replicate.
• Advocate for Fair Practices: Push for more transparency in AI’s use of content, ensuring that creators and publishers are fairly compensated when their work is used to train AI models.

The Path Forward: Keeping the Internet Human

At the event, creators emphasized that the fight for fair AI use is only beginning. As they advocate for their rights and the protection of their livelihoods, the entire ad tech ecosystem has a stake in this conversation, especially publishers.

By standing together and championing authentic, human-driven content, you can ensure that the internet remains a place where creativity and community thrive. The road ahead calls for collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to keeping it real.

The post Creators vs. AI: Can Keeping It Real Save the Internet? appeared first on AdMonsters.

This past week, nothing caught the attention of the internet and social media quite like the beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. The tension has been brewing for some time — most notably when Kendrick threw shots at Drake and J. Cole during his feature on Future and Metro Boomin’s joint project — but it all came to a head when Kendrick released the diss track “Euphoria” last Tuesday.  

Then a lyrical sparring match commenced spanning a week and seven cumulative songs, each trying to outdo the other. The accusations and insults stemmed from silly jabs (Kendrick’s height or Drake’s plastic surgery) to more serious allegations (domestic violence and pedophilia). 

Regardless of which side someone stood on or whether you believe the accusations in the songs, one thing rings true – the content produced significant engagement.  

Kendrick’s song “Euphoria” broke a rap streaming record, and his song “Not Like Us” shot to number one in the U.S. Spotify and Apple Music charts. In fact, as of this moment, Kendrick and Drake’s diss tracks sit in the top five of the Apple Music chart. With reactions and critiques galore on social media focused on songcraft and political critiques such as cultural appropriation and misogyny in the genre, it was hard to escape the discourse. It’s the amount of engagement that publishers and advertisers dream of.  

Yet, one of the most curious pieces of news to develop relates to the creator economy. Both Lamar and Drake allegedly removed the copyright claims on their diss tracks allowing content creators to monetize videos that include those songs.

Content Creators Experience “Euphoria”: Kendrick Lamar and Drake Allegedly Lift Copyright Claims

Content creators have been a major driving force behind this feud, spreading the news like wildfire. However, dealing with the intricacies of commercial music has proven challenging for influencers, as they frequently encounter Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown orders and copyright claims issued by record labels. Even song snippets in reaction videos can trigger DMCA orders, leading to removing sound, video takedowns, or redirecting advertising revenue to record labels.

This presents a significant dilemma for influencers who rely on sharing their real-time reactions to new music releases, particularly amidst the heightened attention surrounding Drake and Lamar’s feud.

The announcement first came to light from social media influencer FaZe YourRAGE.

My Drake Reactions Are now also uncopyrighted WE EATING https://t.co/vzJGx4kE1l

— FaZe YourRAGE (@YourRAGEz) May 6, 2024

This is a significant and not commonly practiced step. It’s understandable why musicians create copyright claims over their art. As commerce intersects with art, many try to capitalize on artists through predatory practices. But for the content creator community, this could be a gamechanger. For instance, the popular YouTube music critic Anthony Fantano published six videos covering the feud. Fantano could monetize these viral videos since Lamar and Drake removed the copyright claims. 

Even large streamer No Life Shaq touts how much this could benefit small creators. No Life Shaq says he has the power to remove claims because of his connections with record labels, but small creators don’t always have the same access.

Interesting! Popular streamer No Life Shaq said Kendrick helped the reaction community make “life-changing money” b/c he removed copyright claims on his music for video creators.@JustinTinsley asked how much $$ this battle will generate. Looks like the people getting some of it pic.twitter.com/sseAF3wj4Q

— Britni Danielle (@BritniDWrites) May 7, 2024

The Booming Creator Economy “Push Ups” Ad Tech Industry

No one can deny how much social media has changed digital media over the last decade. A major backbone of that is content creators and influencers who garner millions of consumers to watch their content. Even ad tech has taken notice of the booming creator economy. Many brands look to content creators to boost their content. 

Even during this year’s Consumer and Electronics Show (CES), the creator economy received ample airtime. The media company Omnicom became the first holding company to strike a deal with Amazon, integrating creator content into Amazon’s Posts API, a social media-like platform within the e-commerce giant. This partnership enables influencer content distribution on a global scale, with a focus on driving sales and providing measurement tools for effectiveness assessment.

Omnicom’s integration with Amazon Posts allows organic influencer placements on the world’s largest e-commerce platform, now trackable through unique attribution capabilities. This move expands influencer marketing beyond traditional platforms like TikTok and Instagram, allowing advertisers to measure sales directly resulting from influencer content.

In the context of the rap beef, it’s not yet clear why Kendrick Lamar and Drake allegedly lifted copyright claims on their diss tracks. Maybe they’re becoming more in tune with the woes of the content creator community. With the TikTok ban looming over our heads, the struggle of influencers, publishers, and advertisers has been pushed forward to the national political stage. 

Still, as the ad tech industry intersects with the creator economy, experts reveal it is a significant boost for advertisers. As Jack Koch, SVP, Research & Insights, IAB, wrote in the IAB’s Creator Economy study, “Creator content marketing is a powerful vehicle for driving full-funnel impact, and advertisers are finding tremendous success adding it to their marketing mix alongside studio content advertising.”

The post Kendrick Lamar and Drake Served Up a Side of Beef and The Creator Economy Eats Good appeared first on AdMonsters.

A bill passed by the Senate and signed into law this week by Biden has many asking if this is the end of TikTok as we know it. The Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act allows TikTok to continue in the US if ByteDance sells it within nine months, which Biden is willing to extend to a year.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew immediately responded and reassured users, creators, and advertisers that TikTok isn’t going anywhere, highlighting that the app isn’t going out without a fight. In fact, ByteDance promises to sue as they deem the ban to be unconstitutional.

We’d be lying if we said we didn’t see this coming, as surreal as it may feel. In a short amount of time, TikTok has grown to be the most resourceful and entertaining social media app of today. TikTok saw its numbers surge over the pandemic when people had much more idle time, and its growth has only continued to soar from there.

Tracer, a data intelligence platform, examined over 1 billion ad impressions from the week before last month’s House vote on March 13, 2024, so March 7-13, and before the vote, TikTok ad spend increased 40% from January to February 2024. Both click-through rates (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC) saw no change in numbers in March post-vote compared to the period before. The fact of the matter is that users are unfazed by this legislation. 

A week after the decision to move forward with the ban, TikTok saw a 20% surge in advertising expenditures. This shows that advertisers aren’t shying away from the app either; in fact, they are intensifying their commitment to TikTok despite its fate having not yet been determined. 

As the saying goes, ‘With great popularity comes great scrutiny.’ The House’s sudden decision to ban TikTok in March, which caught TikTok executives off guard, is a testament to this. The strained relationship between our government and the ByteDance-owned company, exemplified by CEO Shou Zi Chew’s contentious court appearance with Senator Tom Cotton, further adds to the drama. 

Of course, we had to ask a few thought leaders in the industry about this ban and what it means for advertising. Here is what they had to say.

Impact of the TikTok Ban on Millennial and GenZ Audiences

TikTok is currently Gen Z’s primary source of entertainment and social engagement, making up a large portion of the app’s content creators. Nearly 70% of Gen Z actively use TikTok, and Millennials are not too far behind, as 49% use it. In terms of content interaction, 40% of Millennial TikTok users use the app to discover new things. If we lose the short-form video content app, will marketers successfully reach younger audiences?

“TikTok has been an instrumental tool for transparency and freedom of speech for Gen Z and Millennials. The media consumption habits that we see on TikTok have been unmatched in the industry. If anything, we’ve seen GenZ and Millennials come out in support of TikTok and express their views on the ban. While there are many other social apps, the way TikTok values diversity and authentic conversations is unparalleled. I think we will continue to see GenZ and Millennials fight for their right to freedom of expression and speech to keep a forum like TikTok alive.” – Sujoyee Chatterjee, Senior Director Product Marketing at Channel Factory

Fun Fact: Sujoyeeis actually joined Channel Factory from TikTok in 2023, she was formerly the Global Product Marketing & Strategy, Measurement lead.

“TikTok has proven to be an effective method of building audiences, especially for the younger generation of users. TikTok ban will likely revamp digital consumption habits across all audience types. As marketers, we will need to find a new way to access and intrigue these users. To mitigate the impact and risk of this platform ban, advertisers should diversify their efforts across platforms and explore partnerships to maintain the influence of these users. Focusing on additional social channels that offer shorter video styles will be something to consider pivoting to maintain that consumer engagement and revenue.” – Kiana Lupinacci, Senior Strategic Campaign Manager at Adtaxi

“This is such a compelling situation, albeit one with many unknowns. If Bytedance goes ahead and sells TikTok without the algorithm, the new owner would likely lose out on the engagement and addictive nature of the platform. Social media advertisers and marketers need to be readily able to adapt to any change that comes.

This starts with understanding what moves Millennials and Gen Z on TikTok or elsewhere – whether short-form video or interactive content. So why not apply this approach to all digital content and advertising to bridge the gap between the TikTok ban and engaging these key demographics.” – Daniel Meehan, Founder and CEO of PadSquad

A potential ban on TikTok could significantly impact advertising strategies and small businesses, particularly those targeting Gen Z consumers who increasingly rely on platforms like TikTok and Instagram for search and discovery. The latest Consumer Behavior Index (CBI) from SOCi highlights a pivotal shift in consumer behavior, with Instagram and TikTok surpassing Google as the top business search platforms among young people. For Gen Z, traditional search engines like Google are no longer the default choice, with 67% favoring Instagram and 62% opting for TikTok over Google Search, which ranks third at 61%. This shift underscores the growing influence of social media in shaping consumer preferences and purchase decisions.

For small businesses, a TikTok ban would disrupt a critical channel for engaging with younger audiences and building brand visibility. TikTok’s unique format has allowed businesses to showcase products and services creatively, leveraging trends and user-generated content to connect with potential customers. The seismic shift toward social search underscores the importance for businesses to adapt and invest in a diversified digital marketing strategy that aligns with evolving consumer behaviors, ensuring continued relevance and engagement. – Damian Rollison, SOCi’s director of market insights

What Will This Mean For the Creator Economy?

A potential TikTok ban could significantly impact the creator and broader US economies. It has become such a vital platform for content creators that many of them cannot even remember what life was like without it. Many creators have built their careers on TikTok, as the app influences consumer behavior and facilitates direct sales through influencer marketing. The disappearance of the app can certainly diminish the extensive reach and engaged user base that creators currently have access to. 

 “The impact on  creators’ ability to continue to tell stories that connect with and enrich their communities is paramount. The pending TikTok ban underscores the need for creators to have a higher level of control over their connection to the audiences they build on third-party platforms and the urgent need to cultivate their own channels.” – Sheila Marmon, Founder and CEO of Mirror Digital

“The potential sale of TikTok underscores a pivotal moment for the creator economy and the digital advertising landscape and accentuates the value that comes when creators own their platforms and audiences. If TikTok changes its algorithm or content policies due to new ownership, we could see a significant migration of audiences, which could benefit platforms committed to creator freedom and authenticity, especially on the open web. This shift would not only redistribute where audiences engage but also compel brands to reassess their ad budgets to capture the most value from their investments. It highlights the enduring importance of websites in providing a reliable and controlled space for creators to connect with their audiences, free from the unpredictability of algorithm-driven platforms.” – Marla Newman, EVP Sales, Raptive

Legislative concerns surrounding TikTok’s ownership underscore the imperative for brands and marketers to diversify their social media advertising efforts. TikTok’s response mobilizing users to engage with legislators highlights the immediacy of ramifications, as well as the urgency for stakeholders to mobilize. For influencers and brands, diversifying their presence across alternate short-form video platforms – like Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts – mitigates risks of revenue loss and reduces a reliance on TikTok. Mirroring adaptive strategies of successful influencers, diversification ensures message continuity in a dynamic digital landscape. – Chris Moreno, SVP of Paid Media, NP Digital

A Cybersecurity Perspective

On the cybersecurity front, the ban is necessary as TikTok is thought to raise several complex data privacy and national security issues. The primary cybersecurity concern that motivates calls for a TikTok ban is the potential for the Chinese government to access the personal data of US users, given that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, is based in China. There have been instances where China-based employees reportedly accessed non-public US user data, heightening these fears. However, it’s worth noting that there is no direct evidence that TikTok or ByteDance has shared this data with the Chinese government.

TikTok, owned by ByteDance, presents significant cybersecurity concerns for the United States, primarily due to the potential exploitation of its vast user base and the Chinese company’s access to user data. Beyond the immediate privacy implications, there are fears that TikTok could be leveraged as a tool for misinformation campaigns and data collection by foreign actors, particularly the Chinese government. The scale of TikTok’s user engagement, combined with China’s track record of aggressive cyber activities, raises the specter of sophisticated cyber threats targeting American users, including surveillance, data breaches, and manipulation of online discourse.

 Moreover, TikTok’s popularity among both adults and children amplifies the potential impact of these cyber threats, as sensitive personal information could be compromised, and disinformation campaigns could spread rapidly. The platform’s interactive nature and extensive reach make it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to undermine national security or advance foreign interests. As such, policymakers face the critical task of balancing the benefits of information sharing and social connectivity with the imperative to protect citizens from cyber vulnerabilities inherent in platforms like TikTok. Continued investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and regulations is essential to mitigate these risks and uphold the integrity of digital ecosystems in an increasingly interconnected world. – Lisa Plaggemier, Executive Director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA)

TikTok Isn’t Going Anywhere

TikTok and its supporters are actively lobbying against the ban, arguing that it would infringe on free speech rights and negatively impact small businesses, as Rollinson mentioned above, and creators who rely on the platform. The TikTok ban is still very much in play, with significant opposition and legal challenges expected regardless of legislative outcomes. However, some think that regardless of the pending legislation, TikTok is still here to stay. 

“I don’t foresee TikTok going away completely; if forced to sell, there will be plenty of takers. If TikTok has shown us anything, short-form video is here to stay. It’s also a challenge for marketers to come up with new, shorter-form ways to reach them. The traditional 30-second video ad for a video that’s only 30-second will not work.” – Zack Rosenberg, CEO and Founder of Qortex

“Marketers need to be where the eyeballs are and the imminent ban is only raising the profile of the platform among the consumer audience, who aren’t showing any signs of sharing the concerns of our government.  The ban also doesn’t make it illegal to use the platform and won’t eliminate it from the phones of existing users. So, I suspect marketers will closely monitor engagement to determine if the ROI of maintaining a presence there is impacted. If it isn’t impacted it will be business as usual, for most.” – Ken Gibbs, Digital Consultant at DiasDi LLC

The post TikTok’s Ticking Clock: Ad Tech Experts Sound Off on the Looming Ban appeared first on AdMonsters.

Angel N. Livas, CEO and founder of the ALIVE Podcast Network, is passionate about helping people feel alive by sharing their stories unapologetically and authentically. 

The platform promotes a safe space for Black creatives to share content while maintaining ownership. In a conversation with Livas, she shared her journey, which began at Howard University and eventually led to other creative pursuits. No stranger to entertainment and media, she has over 25 years of experience in the space; her expertise spans from television to terrestrial radio. 

The realization that black creators were often overlooked and undervalued sparked the inception of the ALIVE Podcast Network. Witnessing a canceled mental health show’s impact on a listener who relied on it for support highlighted the need for a space where Black voices can shine and change lives. 

The name “ALIVE” holds a special significance for Livas. It symbolizes her mission to help individuals live purposeful lives and connect with their audiences on a deeper level. Inspired by the concept of Identifying Your One Word from Evan Carmichael’s book, Livas found her purpose in helping others feel alive through storytelling and content creation. The creation of the ALIVE Podcast Network was a natural extension of this vision, where black voices are heard, celebrated, and supported.

“Through the journey of identifying my one word, I felt like it was alive,” Angel explained. “My purpose is to help people feel alive by activating the seed within them to live the purposeful life that God created for them.” 

Monetization Strategies & ALIVE Networks’ Proprietary Tech Stack 

One of the unique aspects of the ALIVE Podcast Network is its listener-supported model, where subscribers can choose to support their favorite hosts directly. This approach not only empowers creators to monetize their content but also fosters a sense of community and connection between hosts and their audiences. Livas is paving the way for a more inclusive and diverse podcast space by providing a sustainable platform for Black creatives to share their stories.

As the ALIVE Podcast Network approaches its second anniversary, Livas reflects on the challenges and triumphs of building a proprietary tech stack and becoming the first Black woman-owned podcast network with a dedicated app. 

“In building our proprietary tech stack, we faced numerous challenges that tested our perseverance and dedication. However, reaching the milestone of being the first Black woman-owned podcast network with a proprietary app has been a significant triumph, showcasing our commitment to innovation and excellence.”

The road to success was not easy, with hurdles in development and competition, but Livas’ vision propelled the network to new heights. With plans to attract advertisers and expand its reach in the coming year, the ALIVE Podcast Network is poised for an even greater impact in the podcasting world.

For instance, the network’s recent partnership with Barometer, an AI-powered platform for contextual targeting and brand suitability in audio advertising, is helping creators fight keyword bias and stereotypes that often demonetize Black creators and Black-owned media entities through antiquated brand safety tools. 

Over the past year, Barometer confirmed that the media ALIVE podcast poses no risk in any of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) categories, signifying that on average, ALIVE podcasts adhere to the highest brand suitability and safety standards. By leveraging Barometer’s tech, ALIVE Podcast Network creators are armed with actionable insights that enable them to optimize their content for greater reach, impact, and monetization potential.

The Future is Bright for ALIVE Podcast Network

While acknowledging Black media companies’ challenges in securing ad spend and support, Livas shared the network’s plans to focus on advertising partnerships in 2024. This partnership with Barometer will enable ALIVE Podcast Network to attract advertisers and connect with brands looking to reach Black audiences authentically.

Looking ahead, Livas envisions a future where the ALIVE Podcast Network continues to evolve, connecting with advertisers and expanding its audience while staying true to its mission of amplifying Black voices. With a dedicated team and a loyal listenership, the network is well-positioned to make a lasting impact in the podcasting industry.

Celebrate this Black History Month by downloading the ALIVE Podcast Network app. Forty shows are currently part of the ALIVE Podcast Network family, with new shows being added to the lineup each month. “Even if we don’t have the 50 million listeners at this stage, we are going to grow it,” Livas explains. “We have a very dedicated and loyal listenership, and I think that matters.”

The post For Us By Us, How ALIVE Podcast Network Is Amplifying Black Voices appeared first on AdMonsters.

The phenomenon of the TikTok influencer took off during lockdowns, and as a cohort, they’re really good at building and monetizing their audiences. They are major contributors to the $104 billion creator economy.

Many TikTok influencers make a decent living, earning $50,000 to $150,000 yearly for a successful brand partnership. It’s no wonder they’ve hopped on planes and buses to pay DC a visit. They’re not likely to forgo their livelihoods without a fight.

They’re not the only ones invested in the platform. Worldwide, TikTok has 1.7 billion users, 66% of whom are under age 30 and they spend, on average, 89 minutes a day on the app. Within the US, TikTok has 150 million users, a fact that brands are well aware of. Brands follow the consumer, and they’re on TikTok.

And earlier this year, Digiday reported that publishers are “flocking” to TikTok in search of audiences, with big-name publications like The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and others ramping up production teams to create content for the platform.

Importantly, publishers don’t see social media platforms as a way to drive traffic to their sites anymore; they see them as outposts for their brands. “We’re not trying to refer [audiences] back somewhere,” Katie Drummond, Senior VP of Global News and Global Editor-in-Chief at Vice, told Digiday. “We’re trying to deliver coverage to them that is bespoke for that platform that will reach them on that platform. We’re not assuming that they will go from TikTok to the website. We’re assuming that they’ll go from our TikTok to the next TikTok.” 

Against this backdrop, the Biden Administration has picked up where the Trump Administration left off in threatening TikTok with a ban. Senator Mark Warner introduced the RESTRICT Act, providing the Biden Administration the ammo it needed given some federal court rulings during the Trump years that the president doesn’t have the authority to impose a ban.

Why This Matters

TikTok CEO Shou Chew got a dressing down from House Committee on Energy and Commerce members  when he testified yesterday.

It was hard not to cringe at moments, such as when Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) implied that the Chinese Communist Party is using the platform to engage in “physiological warfare” to “deliberately influence U.S. children.” 

At times the questions were frustrating as numerous panelists singled out TikTok as a uniquely toxic and dangerous platform (one wonders if any of them have been following Google v. Gonzalez). Members on both sides demanded yes or no answers to highly nuanced questions about safety on social media. They jumped on Mr. Chew’s reluctance to oversimplify matters as made-for-the-district gotcha moments. 

As one person who works for a company that offers an AI-driven technology platform to promote trust and safety on Internet platforms told AdMonsters, the questions asked were “multiple levels of silly,” which are “pretty much a dominant theme of tech hearings.”

For many, it was reminiscent of the 2018 Senate hearings when Senator Orin Hatch asked Mark Zuckerberg how he could offer a service for free, and he responded, “Senator, we run ads.” 

It’s unreasonable to expect politicians to understand the intricacies of technology, but we can expect them to appreciate that their decisions can have far reaching consequences. It’s worth noting that the Supreme Court appeared hesitant to side with Gonzalez and overturn Section 230 for that very reason.  If they opt for a ban, they will end the livelihood of thousands of TikTok influencers and upend the customer acquisition strategies of brands and publishers alike. 

For Julia Crager, age 21, a ban on TikTok would be sad. She follows a lot of TikTok influencers and has been excited to watch people her age earn a living through sponsorships. She graduates from college in a few months and hoped to become an influencer. She likes to travel and imagined that any money she earned on the platform could help her pay for her trips. She isn’t quite sure why TikTok is being singled out. “All social media platforms have our data. TikTok isn’t any different,” she told AdMonsters. 

Which is precisely Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s contention. At a press conference with TikTok influencers in DC, he asked, “Why the hysteria,  panic, and targeting of TikTok? Let’s do the right thing here – comprehensive social media reform as it relates to privacy and security.” He, Mark Pocan (who called the ban a xenophobic witch hunt), and Robert Garcia want to see more broad-based privacy legislation that will apply to all social media companies.

No one denies the risk of a foreign government gaining access to U.S. citizen data. Indeed, the Department of Justice and the FBI are investigating ByteDance’s use of TikTok to spy on U.S. journalists, which is intolerable. This is why Bowman’s holistic approach to securing user privacy across all platforms seems more appropriate and can prevent us from throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Going through with a ban will be a politically fraught move for any U.S. politician. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told Bloomberg News, ​​“The politician in me thinks you’re going to literally lose every voter under 35, forever.”

In any case, whether a ban on TikTok will stop U.S. citizens from using the app is up for debate. The app has been downloaded over 210 million times within the US, and legislation won’t force its removal from end-user devices. “It’s on my phone. The government can ban it, but I’m still going to use it,” Ryan Yorke, age 23, told AdMonsters.

Ditto for Crager. “I regularly delete the app just to stop myself from using it too much, especially when I need to study. But I won’t delete it anymore because I want to stay on TikTok,” she said.

A ban, therefore, won’t stop young Americans from sharing videos and spending time on TikTok, but it will limit the brand’s ability to reach and engage them there and the publisher from establishing outposts. 

“For many millennials and Gen Zers, TikTok is the equivalent of Google. Take Yakira Young, an editor at AdMonsters. She relies on TikTok for countless reasons. “I learn so much there, hair care tips, dating advice, spiritual guidance, and I can’t forget nearly every recipe I find, so cooking advice too.”

The post The Unintended Consequences of a TikTok Ban appeared first on AdMonsters.