How the Potential TikTok Ban Could Affect African Creators in the United States

But for African creators in the U.S., the ban could have even more severe consequences. Many say American creators on TikTok are tooindispensable to the app for it to be banned in the U.S. This creator demographic includes African creators who regularly contribute to trends on the app. Creators like Maame Adwoa, who goes byJowodaa on TikTok, have pioneered famous TikTok sounds, including the widespreadQuick Quick snack trend.

"TikTok has played a pivotal role in shaping my work as a creator," Adwoa tells OkayAfrica. It has allowed me to collaborate with brands and individuals I might not have encountered otherwise. Over the years, the positive reception of my work has broadened my perspective and challenged me to continue evolving as a content creator."

Inioluwa Olu-Owotade, known famously asInicash, also attests to the transformative power of the TikTok app in his work as a creator. "It's one of the few platforms where creativity is rewarded instantly," Owotade says. "I can post something, and within hours, people in Lagos, London, or even Los Angeles are engaging. That reach is priceless for someone like me who thrives on storytelling and audience interaction."

What will be missed?

Like many others, African content creators in the U.S. will have to contend with the end of a platform that rewards their creativity. "Many creators, especially those who've built businesses on the app, are deeply concerned about the potential impact and are not taking it lightly," Adwoa says.

While Black creators face issues ofpay disparity and low content visibility on the app despite pioneering many of the dances and viral sounds, African creators on the platform who create for both local and international audiences are often at a greater disadvantage as they keep finding innovative ways to make content that appeals to both American and global audiences. But that doesn't limit the app's impact.

"It's a space where we've been able to amplify our voices, share our stories, and connect with a global audience without a middleman," Owotade adds. "A ban would feel like taking a microphone away from someone who's finally being heard. It could also slow down the momentum we've built to showcase African culture to the world, which the app has been instrumental in."

Above all, the app helps these African creators connect with cultures on the continent and stay in touch with happenings in their home countries while simultaneously providing a platform for them to amplify those cultures and stories.

As Sofiyat Ibrahim, known famously astheoddity, says, "I'll miss the authentic, real conversations that folks have on TikTok. I mean, Detty December discourse, African music trends, dances, and diasporan wars, whether we like them or not. It's a truly special place."

Adwoa, who staunchly opposes the ban, says she'll miss the sense of community the app provides. "It wasn't just a platform for learning and creativity but also a space for people to release stress and share laughs. That connection and joy will be missed."

Going forward

For many creators, the next step is to diversify and move their community to other platforms. The video-sharing platform RedNote, which is gaining popularity amongstU.S.-based content creators and users, has been a great alternative to TikTok for its similar design and functionalities.

Ibrahim says diversification has helped her stay ahead of the curve, such that TikTok now represents only about 35 percent of how she disseminates content. "The biggest advice I have for creators, not just African creators, is to diversify," she says. "For many creators like myself who diversify, TikTok's potential ban just means another opportunity to pour into Apps like YouTube shorts and Snapchat Spotlight, but for other creators, I understand and recognize this is a loss of a huge source of income and engagement."

Adwoa says her community of fellow African creators in the U.S. is approaching the situation with humor and trying to lighten the gravity of the situation as a way to cope but also a way to stay hopeful.

"There's a strong hope that the ban won't go through," Adwoa posits. She believes that if it does happen, many creators like herself are confident that their communities will follow them to other platforms. "While starting over won't be easy, we'll adapt and continue creating. We'll thrive, no matter the platform."