NORFOLK, Va. — The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law set to ban social media app TikTok. That ban could start as soon as Sunday. Questions remain about what the ban will look like, and, since the current administration doesn't plan to enforce the ban, what the new administration will do with it following Monday's inauguration. In the meantime, those who use the platform, including local creators, hang in limbo.
Hampton-based creator Zach Chavers, known online as SirPippy, originally joined the platform to show people there's lots of good food and things to do around town.
"On TikTok I post things to do in the area. Dinner spots, date spots, places to take the kids, fun stuff like that," said Chavers. "Basically I use it as a guide. You know 757 has a stigma of there's nothing to do in the area and I wanted to show people that's false."
Previous coverage: Virginia Attorney General sues TikTok for 'misleading the public, exploiting Virginians data'
He said the platform's allowed him to explore Hampton Roads and beyond. He said the local pride's something he's noticed his followers really relate to.
Another TikTok creator, Jiyon Kim, who is known as jiyonkim on TikTok and jiyonkim5 on Instagram, began using TikTok to share about her life in dental school but found many people were interested in her parents' Newport News restaurant Old Town Grill.
"Actually when I posted the first video so many people went to visit my parents restaurant. 95 percent of the customers are the shipyard workers so that's why they were so surprised they couldn't recognize so many people coming to the restaurant," said Kim.
Previous coverage: Virginia senators contemplate on TikTok's next steps as deadline to avoid U.S. ban nears
She said her parents took over the roughly 40-year-old restaurant more than a decade ago, but have been pleasantly surprised to find new customers coming in from TikTok.
Now the creators — and millions of others on the world's most-widely used app — are in limbo, preparing in case TikTok goes dark.
"In light of the expected ban, how are you feeling as a content creator?" asked News 3 reporter Erika Craven.
"I think it's devastating, I think it's very unfortunate not only for creatives but for people who built full-blown brands and platforms on the app," said Chavers. "I think it will be tricky transition for them, especially if that's the only outlet they use for media."
Watch related coverage: TikTok will 'go dark' on Sunday unless it gets assurances from Biden
"I feel like just because it goes away I'm not going to stop doing social media but I feel like TikTok definitely helped small businesses grow," added Kim.
Chavers and Kim said they liked the app over other social media platforms in several ways. They said it has good reach and monitization opportunities and is easy to search.
"I use it as a search engine, a platform to just look things up," said Chavers.
Still, despite uncertainty, they'll keep doing what brings them joy.
"Social media is so fun when you get involved and find the right community," said Kim.
Both creators plan to shift focus to other platforms if needed.
