TikTok users say goodbye to their followers as a U.S. ban looms

• Prior to the anticipated TikTok ban in the U.S., users shared emotional farewells with their followers.
• On Friday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided to maintain the law that mandates the sale or prohibition of TikTok.
• ByteDance must sell TikTok or face removal from Apple and Google's web and app stores by Sunday.

In anticipation of TikTok's potential disappearance in the U.S., creators on the app shared emotional farewells with their followers.

"I never imagined that anyone would care about what I say, but now I'm grateful for the attention," said Kimberly Rhoades, a creator of humorous videos, to her 3 million followers on Thursday. "If this app disappears, it was a wonderful journey."

The Supreme Court has ruled to uphold the law that mandates the sale of TikTok by its Chinese parent, ByteDance, or a ban of the app in the US. The popular short-form video app, which gained popularity during the pandemic and transformed the way Americans consumed social media, will be shut down as of Sunday, potentially disappearing from the web and being removed from app stores run by Apple and Google.

The law, signed by President Joe Biden, was passed by Congress due to national security concerns related to TikTok's data collection practices and ties to China.

In a follow-up video on Friday, Rhoades sang a portion of "Taps," a song commonly played at funerals, and concluded by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to bring laughter to her audience.

The future of TikTok in the US is now in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who initially supported a ban but has since changed his stance. In December, Trump asked the Supreme Court to pause the implementation of the ban and give his administration the chance to resolve the issue politically.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that he will make a decision on TikTok in the near future, but he needs time to review the situation. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is among the tech leaders expected to attend Trump's inauguration in Washington, D.C. on Monday. Chew thanked Trump in a short video for his commitment to work with them to keep TikTok available in the U.S.

TikTok's millions of users are seeking alternatives, as RedNote, a Chinese social media app and TikTok look-alike, rose to the top of Apple's app store on Monday. Many TikTok creators have been preparing for an end, telling their fans to find them on other social platforms such as Google's YouTube and Meta's Facebook and Instagram. Whether Trump ultimately finds a way to keep the app alive for American consumers, remains uncertain.

As the ban deadline neared, the creator migration on TikTok accelerated, with influencers like Megan Cruz promoting the app's features in their farewell videos.

'Anyone had the potential to be a leader'

"According to Cruz, in a video posted earlier this week, people were drawn to TikTok because they could engage in culture through BookTok and FilmTok without being a big creator. The platform provided an incentive for individuals to join the conversation and become leaders in it, with the potential to resonate with millions of people."

Since its inception in 2017, TikTok has been a viral sensation, with ByteDance spending approximately $1 billion to acquire Musical.ly and subsequently combining the two platforms the following year.

During the pandemic lockdowns of 2020, TikTok gained popularity in the U.S. as an app for short dance clips and lip-syncing videos, eventually becoming a major platform for passing time and connecting with others online.

Internet giants Meta and Google launched copycat services in response to the success of the app.

Despite the competition, TikTok continued to grow.

In the U.S., Sensor Tower reports that TikTok has 115 million monthly active users, compared to 258 million for YouTube, 253 million for Facebook, and 131 million for Instagram.

Despite having fewer total users than its competitors, TikTok has emerged as a popular platform for creators, with 8.5 million users in the U.S. who have more than 1,000 followers, compared to 5.2 million on Instagram and 1.1 million on YouTube, according to HypeAuditor.

On January 9, Project Liberty, an internet advocacy group led by businessman Frank McCourt, announced that it had submitted a proposal to ByteDance to purchase TikTok at undisclosed terms. McCourt stated on CNBC on Friday that Project Liberty is the only bidder that meets the criteria for disentangling the technology from the Chinese algorithm.

According to a valuation estimate by CFRA Research Senior Vice President Angelo Zino, potential buyers of TikTok's U.S. operations may have to spend between $40 billion and $50 billion if ByteDance decides to sell.

Some creators are informing their fans about alternative platforms where they can find them, while others are urging users not to follow them on Meta's services or to take a break from social media.

Jack Ryan, a TikTok creator with 2 million followers, stated in a video on Thursday that he encourages people to cut social media out of their lives once TikTok is gone, as it will likely be healthy for them.

""I have an Instagram with a significant following, but I don't follow myself on there. Don't use it, it's harmful and disgusting," Ryan said."

Jonas Gindin, with over 400,000 Tiktok followers, revealed in a video that a year and a half ago he was working as a waiter in Los Angeles while pursuing his dream of becoming an actor. Despite his efforts, he wasn't experiencing much success.

Gindin stated that he has been able to create content full-time on TikTok after establishing a following.

"If we're done, it's been a journey, man," Gindin said. "Any time someone posts a positive comment, it means the world to me, bro."

Gerstell, the NSA's director, stated that it is up to Apple and Google to decide whether to keep TikTok on their app stores.