LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A group of notable Las Vegas content creators weighed in on the impact of the TikTok bill making its way through Congress.
They voice concerns over the far-reaching impact on entrepreneur incomes and small businesses across the Las Vegas valley if the bill is passed.
Influencers, content creators, social media managers and businesses voice concerns about a worst-case scenario surrounding the bill’s passage, which proponents say is unfounded. If the company is forced to divest and an American buyer is not found, app stores would not be allowed to allow TikTok downloads, and the app would be rendered unusable for 170 million Americans.
FOX5 met with Philip Tzeng, also known as LasVegasFill, Damian Ocampo, known as HookedLV, and Talia Edralin, or Tallzz. Together, the three have about two million followers on the TikTok app alone.
FOX5 has covered the phenomenon of the viral success brought to Las Vegas restaurants by social media, as local content creators and influencers often draw attention to off-Strip small businesses. Chinatown businesses have seen a notable boost in tourist visitation due to social media posts and promotions.
“I can safely say there’s a lot of businesses that wouldn’t be in existence right now if it weren’t for TikTok, so to not have that spotlight, to not have that avenue to share their, story or share their business? It’s going to be tough to imagine what it’d be like without,” Tzeng said.
“Luckily, I’ve been able to build my other platforms to be to have a good following. If [TikTok] were to go away, I think I’m just more scared for the small businesses that it would affect,” Ocampo said.
Small businesses across Las Vegas rely on the foot traffic generated by posts from various social media managers and content creators.
Most of Edralin’s business comes from TikTok accounts.
“When I manage clients, I usually run their TikTok pages. That means I would lose probably 99% of my business, so that means I can’t monetize on my videos anymore,” Edralin said.
Congressman Stephen Horsford voted no on the bill and released a statement, citing concerns impacting small businesses:
“This legislation would be a forced ban of TikTok if the required divestment failed to occur within the prescribed timeframe. I oppose a ban because of the impact it would have on 100s of millions of American users, particularly the more than 28,000 small businesses in our state that use the platform to grow their business and millions of individual users in the Silver State… the impact on the entrepreneurs and small businesses in Nevada and across the country that rely on the platform could be devastating.”
Congresswoman Dina Titus voted yes, releasing the following statement to FOX5:
“I am committed to protecting Americans’ right to privacy and our national security. The Department of Justice, Director of National Intelligence, and National Security Council have all clearly articulated the threat ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, poses. ByteDance is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, allowing the Chinese government to harvest sensitive data, exploit users of the app, and further their goals of influencing American political and social perceptions of a foreign adversary. The bill does not ban the social media platform but gives TikTok six months to divest funds from ByteDance. I understand concerns from influencers who rely on content for income. TikTok has become an important tool for businesses to promote services and a hub of self-expression and free speech. I believe there are ways to support the professionals who post on this platform without sacrificing personal and national security.”
Congresswoman Susie Lee voted yes, releasing the following statement to FOX5:
“As long as TikTok is Chinese-owned, our national security is at risk because the government of China — which views America as an enemy — has the ability to collect personal data on our kids and citizens. This vote does not ban TikTok. It bans the Chinese government from having access to the personal information of millions of Americans.”
A spokesperson for Senator Catherine Cortez Masto released the following statement to FOX5:
“Senator Cortez Masto believes TikTok’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party are deeply concerning and that we need more information about how the app is distributing the large amounts of data it collects. She is currently reviewing this specific legislation.”
A spokesperson for Senator Jackie Rosen released the following statement to FOX5:
“Senator Rosen recognizes that TikTok has become a popular and widely used platform across the country. She also believes that we must do more to protect Nevadans’ data from undue influence by the Chinese government and intrusion from foreign adversaries. She is reviewing the legislation passed by the House and other bipartisan proposals under discussion to address this issue.”
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