TIKTOK BANNED OR BOUGHT?

I know what you may be thinking, what does TikTok have to do with anything? I would encourage you to think about the last time you heard a conversation start with, "I saw this TikTok!" I have had several clients, maybe even you reading this that have discover a property or me as a Realtor from TikTok. I have been producing content on the internet for nearly 10 years for my business and it has paid dividends. From marketing coming soon properties to highlighting areas for potential buyers relocating from other places, TikTok has been a massive part of several industries and the heavy hitters that use the platform to run their business. Take a look below from a snippet of what I found in a recent Wall Street Journal article.

President Biden announced on Friday his intention to sign a bill aimed at restricting the operations of the video app TikTok within the United States, either through an effective ban or by forcing its sale. This move follows the latest efforts by lawmakers to prevent the app's Chinese owners from continuing to operate in the country, citing potential national security risks.

Lawmakers are now making a significant push to address these concerns, with a bill that appears to have more political traction than previous attempts. TikTok's recent efforts to deter this legislation by urging users to contact their representatives seem to have backfired. Instead of swaying opinions, this campaign appears to have reinforced lawmakers' resolve.

The bill, anticipated to pass through the House easily by Wednesday, may encounter challenges in the Senate. When asked by reporters on Friday whether he would support the TikTok bill if it reached his desk, President Biden responded, "If they pass it, I’ll sign it."

As lawmakers gear up to discuss the legislation, users of the app, which boasts more than 170 million American users, received notifications on Thursday urging them to voice their opposition to the bill to their House representative. TikTok even provided a simplified way for users to call their representatives directly from the app.

This mobilization by TikTok quickly overwhelmed the phone lines of several congressional offices, resulting in a flurry of hang-ups and inquiries. It also highlighted TikTok's capacity to rally a significant number of individuals and collect data to influence user behavior. Some lawmakers argue that this ability is precisely why they are concerned about the app's ties to China.

Rep. Kat Cammack, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, expressed her perspective on TikTok's actions, stating in an interview on Friday, "They made the point for us... They hurt themselves pretty tremendously by doing what they did in targeting members of Congress and using content creators and users of the app as foot soldiers of the Chinese government."

The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously voted 50-0 to advance the bill on Thursday. This legislation essentially mandates TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app to an American entity or face the prospect of a ban.

Prior to the committee vote on Thursday, the level of support for the legislation was uncertain. However, the situation changed rapidly.

"One caller even impersonated the lawmaker’s son, who had not, in fact, dialed his father," revealed Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. "I talked to so many people who were ‘lean yes’ and then they became a ‘hell yes’ after this happened," Krishnamoorthi added.

With this information, What are your thoughts on the future of this platform?