TikTok Creators, Partners Remain Optimistic Ahead of App’s Second Ban Deadline
New York, April 1, 2025 – As TikTok approaches its latest ban deadline on April 5, 2025, creators and business partners are displaying a cautious optimism about the app’s future in the United States. Facing a national security law that mandates its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. operations or face a shutdown, the popular short-video platform has once again found itself at a crossroads. Yet, despite the looming threat, the mood among its 170 million American users and stakeholders is markedly different from the panic that gripped them in January.
A Deadline Delayed, Hope Renewed
The current April 5 deadline stems from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump shortly after his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The order paused enforcement of a 2024 law—originally signed by then-President Joe Biden—that required ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations by January 19 or face a ban. Trump’s intervention granted a 75-day reprieve, pushing the cutoff to this Friday, a move he framed as giving “a great American app a chance to thrive.”
This isn’t the first time TikTok has dodged a shutdown. The app briefly went offline on January 19 after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the divestiture law, only to flicker back to life days later under Trump’s directive. Now, with the clock ticking again, creators and marketing firms are banking on a resolution—whether through a sale or another extension—to keep TikTok alive.
“I’m trying to be optimistic and hope they keep it, but as a creator, I have to be prepared either way,” said Gianna Christine, a New Jersey-based TikToker with 2.7 million followers. Her sentiment echoes a shift from January’s tearful goodbye videos to a more pragmatic, wait-and-see approach among the app’s influencers.
Confidence Amid Uncertainty
President Trump has fueled this optimism, repeatedly signaling confidence in a deal. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on March 30, he claimed, “We have a lot of potential buyers… I’d like to see TikTok remain alive.” Last week, he hinted at flexibility, suggesting he might extend the deadline again or reduce tariffs on China to facilitate a transaction—a nod to ongoing trade negotiations. Vice President JD Vance bolstered this narrative, telling NBC News on March 14 that a “distinct American TikTok enterprise” would likely take shape by April 5, even if final paperwork lagged.
Potential suitors include software giant Oracle, which could oversee U.S. data security, and a consortium featuring former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and video platform Rumble. Posts on X have buzzed with speculation, with some users citing Trump’s March 10 mention of “four different groups” in talks, though ByteDance has remained mum on negotiations.
“I really don’t see TikTok getting banned,” said Olivia Plotnick, founder of Wai Social, a marketing agency that relies heavily on TikTok campaigns. “Brands have invested too much, and the administration seems committed to finding a workaround.” Her firm, like many, is hedging bets by diversifying to platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts but continues to prioritize TikTok’s unmatched engagement.
Creators Adapt, Businesses Pivot
For creators like Christine, who earn thousands monthly through brand deals and the TikTok Creator Fund (soon to transition to the Creativity Program), the stakes are personal. “This is my livelihood,” she told CNBC. “I’ve been posting more on Instagram just in case, but TikTok’s algorithm is what built my audience.” Others, like Charleston-based creator Sarah Baus, have taken to rallying support with “Keep TikTok” campaigns, a throwback to efforts that swayed public opinion in 2023.
Businesses tied to TikTok’s ecosystem—advertisers, e-commerce sellers, and music promoters—also remain bullish. The app’s $24 billion economic impact in 2023 (per Oxford Economics) looms large, and partners argue a ban would ripple through small businesses and the creative economy. “We’re planning as if TikTok stays,” said a spokesperson for a major music label, noting the app’s role in breaking hits like Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.”
A Political and Legal Tightrope
The optimism isn’t universal. Three Democratic senators—Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Cory Booker (D-NJ)—warned last week that Trump’s unilateral extensions lack legal grounding and urged him to work with Congress on a sustainable fix, such as their proposed “Extend the TikTok Deadline Act” to push the cutoff to October. Meanwhile, China’s government has signaled it won’t back a forced sale, complicating any deal that keeps ByteDance in the picture.
National security concerns—centered on fears that ByteDance could share U.S. user data with Beijing—remain the ban’s bedrock, though ByteDance denies such claims, calling them unsubstantiated. Free speech advocates, too, decry the law as a First Amendment violation, a debate reignited with each deadline.
What’s Next?
As April 5 nears, TikTok’s fate hinges on a flurry of possibilities: a last-minute sale, another Trump reprieve, or, less likely, a ban that sends the app dark. Creators and partners are bracing for all outcomes but betting on survival. “Trump’s pretty certain a deal’s coming,” Plotnick said, citing his March 31 Reuters comments. “That’s enough for us to keep going.”
For now, the app’s 170 million U.S. users keep scrolling, creators keep posting, and businesses keep investing—hoping the optimism pays off before the clock strikes midnight this Friday. Whether TikTok emerges as a standalone American entity or faces another cliffhanger, its community is proving resilient, adaptable, and, above all, hopeful.
