JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With the clock ticking, TikTok’s future in the United States hangs in the balance. U.S. lawmakers are moving closer to implementing a nationwide ban on the popular social media app, which could take effect as early as next month.
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To avoid the ban, TikTok’s parent company, the Beijing-based ByteDance, must sell the platform to a non-Chinese buyer by January 19, 2025. If it doesn’t, TikTok will be removed from U.S. app stores and internet providers.
For local Jacksonville influencer Lauryn “LaurynXTravels” Pinkney, the potential ban represents not just the loss of a hobby, but the end of her livelihood.
Pinkney, who has amassed roughly 15,000 TikTok followers in just one year, has built a full-time career around creating engaging content—especially her popular “Things to Do in Jacksonville” videos.
“I started by traveling around and I realized that you can actually share those moments,” Pinkney explained.
Over time, the videos became popular enough to pay her bills.
Pinkney’s TikTok presence has had ripple effects beyond her personal income. Small businesses featured in her videos have seen tangible benefits, including increased customer traffic. One such business is Floating Sea Aquatics, a local boutique that Pinkney spotlighted on her account.
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“Her video made such an impact on our business that it gave us hope,” Shaiana Barbosa said.
As ByteDance challenges proposed restrictions in court, legal experts are weighing in on the potential impact of a ban. Some question whether limiting access to TikTok infringes on users’ First Amendment rights. However, Jacksonville-based attorney Gene Nichols argues that this is not a violation of free speech.
“[Users] can go post somewhere else,” Nichols said. “I can go send out videos, I can go look at other videos. The law that has been passed said it’s because TikTok is a threat to the United States and is in essence a threat to all the individuals who have TikTok.”
On Monday, TikTok and ByteDance filed an emergency injunction with the U.S. Supreme Court to review the legislation. While the legal battle unfolds, influencers like Pinkney, along with countless small businesses that rely on the platform’s reach, are left in a state of uncertainty.
With the January 19 deadline quickly approaching, the fate of TikTok—and the livelihoods built around it—remains unclear.