Despite a recent foreign aid package that includes a ban on TikTok, businesses in Lincoln remain hopeful that the popular app will continue to be available. Many local business owners rely on social media, including TikTok, to attract customers.
For example, Stacy Tamerius, the owner of Butterfly Bakery and Sunflower House Cookies, uses TikTok to showcase her cakes and cookies. Highlighting their products and the people who make the bakery successful has helped bring in new customers.
TikTok has had an estimated $24.2 billion impact on the U.S. economy, with millions of American users and businesses using the platform for sales and growth. However, there are concerns about national security due to TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance, a Chinese company with ties to China’s Communist Party.
A measure being considered by Congress would ban TikTok in the U.S. if ByteDance does not sell the app to an American company. Senator Pete Ricketts from Nebraska voted for the legislation, emphasizing the need to prevent foreign adversaries like China from owning platforms that could pose a risk to national security. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill further solidifying the ban on TikTok.
