TikTokers put hope in online campaign to get Trump to end US ban

WASHINGTON — TikTok content creator Tiffany Cianci is doing everything she can to persuade President-elect Donald Trump to save the popular social media app, which the government is calling a risk to national security.

Ms. Cianci livestreamed to the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 10, where the justices were hearing arguments on whether the ban should be upheld. She called on other TikTokers and their followers to join the campaign to flood Trump with messages and support TikTok on social media.

A new law requires China-based app owner ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations by Jan. 19 or face closure.

“We don’t need the Supreme Court to save TikTok,” Ms. Cianci said.

“Right now we have a president who is about to be inaugurated,” she said, urging her supporters to pressure Trump by posting comments on his X social media account.

The handful of creators who joined her outside the courthouse were just a small fraction of those watching online, where Ms. Cianci estimated 180,000 people watched her TikTok show.

TikTok, Ms. Cianci and other users employed a similar campaign strategy in 2024, when they flooded congressional offices with phone calls to get them to drop divestment or ban legislation.

Although that effort failed and angered some lawmakers, Trump may be more receptive because he has publicly called for the ban to be delayed so he can reach a settlement.

epa11817098 Members of the media prepare their stories as oral arguments are heard by the Supreme Court justices in the case of TikTok v. Merrick Garland at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, U.S., January 10, 2025. The Team TikTok's legal case argues that the Biden administration's law banning the app is unconstitutional because it infringes on the free speech of millions of Americans who use it. EPA-EFE/SHAWN THEW — Content creators livestream outside the Supreme Court building as the court hears oral arguments on a law banning TikTok in the United States starting January 10.PHOTO: EPA-EFE

In Trump, they hope

In December, Trump said he had a “hot spot” in his heart for TikTok, which helped him gain support from young voters in the November election.

He met with TikTok chief executive Shou Chew and sent a letter to the Supreme Court asking that the law be suspended until he takes office on January 20.

“It’s a promise that Trump made, and it’s a promise that he used to get a lot of young people to vote for him,” Ms. Cianci said in an interview a day before the hearing. Supreme Court. “We are asking him to deliver immediately.”

His 223,000 followers listen to him.

“I hope Trump is here today,” one wrote on Ms. Cianci’s livestream.

“Trump can do it,” wrote another.

Trump’s name did not come up much during the two hours of arguments before the Supreme Court, but the government lawyer said it was unclear whether the president-elect would be able to extend the deadline for transfer after taking office.

TikTok and content creators have spoken out against a ban, arguing that it infringes on constitutional rights to free speech. Ms. Cianci was not among the handful of users who sued to block the law.

The US government has said current ownership of TikTok must change due to the risk that China will use the platform to collect data on Americans and spread propaganda.

On December 10, Supreme Court justices indicated they would likely uphold the law, rejecting a request from TikTok to block it.

Bloomberg Intelligence analysts estimate that TikTok has only a 20% chance of winning its legal fight. A lawyer for the app told the justices on Dec. 10 that the app would “go dark” and be effectively shut down on Jan. 19 unless the court rules in its favor.

Still, Ms. Cianci and other content creators remained hopeful.

“I think we have a good chance of succeeding,” said Mr. Paul Tran, who was among the group of content creators who sued to block the ban.

“If not, then Trump can step in and I hope he helps us,” he said. BLOOMBERG

Join ST Telegram channel and receive the latest breaking news.