The clock is Tik-ing 👀
Plus, Taylor Swift inspires a trending meme
Well, hello there! This winter I took a few months off to deal with a health issue (full details in my recent LinkedIn post). But I’m finally back! And not a moment too soon.
In today’s newsletter:
Going Behind the Headlines: TikTok is in Trouble (Again)
Social Snacks:
Meta Launches AI Assistant (And People Want Their Search Back)
The Instagram CEO Thinks We All Work at Instagram (We Don’t)
Trending Meme: ‘You Wouldn’t Last an Hour in the Asylum Where They Raised Me’
TikTok is in Trouble (Again)
We’re not even halfway through 2024 — but 2025 could be a big year for TikTok, a short-form video and entertainment app enjoyed by 170 million Americans, with one billion monthly users globally.
That’s because the U.S. government recently signed legislation giving the China-based ByteDance 9-12 months to sell its stake in TikTok, or risk having the app banned in the United States.
Whether you live in U.S. or not, this potential TikTok ban has implications for all of us. Here’s what you need to know…
1/3 The background
The two key reasons TikTok needs to be banned in the U.S., according to American legislators, are data privacy issues, and the potential threat that Americans could be subjected to propaganda by the Chinese government.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew has denied all of these allegations repeatedly, and responded to the latest legislation with a TikTok video vowing to fight this potential ban in the courts.
The TikTok ban was part of legislation allowing the flow of aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. (You can learn more about how it ended up here in this New York Times article).
2/3 Will it actually get banned?
If it does, it’s probably going to take a lot longer than 9-12 months.
For one thing, the fact that TikTok is planning to sue means that the legislation could get bogged down in the courts for at least a few years.
Secondly, there is a U.S. election coming up this fall. Former U.S. President Trump has recently said he is concerned about the ban (even though he tried to ban the app while in office, but it was blocked by the courts). If Trump wins again in 2024, who knows what will happen to the bill.
3/3 Why should any of us care
Here are a few reasons:
If TikTok were to be banned, it could mean that other apps could disappear as well. For example, ByteDance also owns the hugely popular video-editing app, CapCut. That could reduce functionality for social media managers and others who rely on these apps for work.
As always, this is a great reminder not to rely exclusively on one app. Even if the risk of a ban is low, there is always volatility on social media platforms. For example, in 2023, Meta blocked access to news in Canada on Facebook and Instagram over a spat with Canadian government, leaving many media companies scrambling to find a new home. So, if you’re managing a brand account, make sure you have a presence on at least two social media platforms.
Meta and Google will likely try and take advantage of the situation by enticing TikTok content creators to start moving over ahead of a potential ban. In fact, social media expert Matt Navarro recently posted on Threads that Meta is offering creators $5,000 for posts or replies that get 10,000 or more views. When the TikTok app was banned in India a few years ago, Meta and Google were the biggest winners as creators moved their content to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. (Source: BBC News - The ghosts of India’s TikTok: What happens when a social media app is banned).
A potential ban in the U.S. could see other countries follow suit. Some countries, like Canada, have already imposed a type of ban. In February 2023, the government banned the TikTok app on government-owned mobile devices. When recently asked about TikTok, Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau declined to say what Canada might do. (Watch his response on TikTok: CBC News). You just never know what the future holds.
🍭 SOCIAL SNACKS 🍭
1/2 Meta Launches AI Assistant (And People Want Their Search Back)
Meta’s AI Virtual Assistant is now available in over a dozen countries, and can be accessed via search on all of its apps (including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger). You can also access it in your Facebook Feed. Or you can visit meta.ai and use the desktop version. Wherever you use it, this virtual assistant is ready for any question you might have. The general reaction I’ve seen so far - give us back our search. Here’s an interesting Thread from user @brittany_harding.
2/2 The Instagram CEO Thinks We All Work at Instagram (We Don’t)
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri recently posted a video in which he argued that engagement rate is a much better metric of how you’re doing on Instagram vs. number of followers.
Sure, it’s great if people like your content. But here’s my opinion…
The goal of using social media is to meet YOUR goals, not the goals of the platform. And for some organizations — such as non-profits — more followers = more granting dollars and sponsorships. That’s because grant applications and sponsors often ask for follower numbers to ensure that they will get high visibility for their donations.
So, yes, you should always aim to create engaging content. But followers are not always a vanity metric. And you actually have to have followers to get engagement, no?
Also, if engagement rate is such a great metric, then why does Instagram allow us to hide likes, but not followers? 🤔
📈 TRENDING MEME
‘You wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me’
If you’ve ever wanted to share haunting images from your childhood, this new trending meme sparked by a lyric in a new Taylor Swift track is for you.
The lyric is ‘You wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum that raised me.’ It’s from the song “Who’s Afraid of of Little Old Me” on Taylor Swift’s latest double album, The Tortured Poets Department.
And there have been some really interesting shares. For your enjoyment, below are some of the best ones I’ve seen.
Here’s the full history of the meme from Know Your Meme.
