April 7, 2025
As Tik Tok went dark on Jan. 18, so did the future for many young influencers. Uncertainty and doubt clouded those few hours before the app went live again.
People who have had an established platform in the social media business may have taken the hardest hit. But for the ones trying to build a presence online, Tik Tok possibly being banned in the United States will make it much more difficult.
“I’ve always wanted to be in the influencer space, so to speak. Even when I was a kid, I wanted to do YouTube, but I never did it. I used to want to be on Instagram, I kind of got into it but it wasn’t successful. Tik Tok was really my way to get into it,” said Molly Niedzwiecki, a junior at High Point University.
Niedzwiecki saw her platform start to take off when she began making content showcasing High Point University’s campus.
Tik Tok has blown up and many college students are going along for the ride. Students who are in the midst of growing their platforms along with those who have high followings are seeing the benefits that the app can provide. Many colleges are enlisting these students to generate content that will draw prospective students to the school. It is a mutually beneficial agreement because while the school is getting more attention, so are the students making the content.
“I technically work with the school, but they don’t pay me. It is mostly just whatever I want to do on my behalf, and they help me with it. They’ll repost my videos, comment on them, just to help push them out,” said Niedzwiecki.
For some, creating content, editing videos and posting online has become a passion. Amy Zheng, also a current junior at High Point University, started focusing on growing her platforms during her freshman year. Niedzwiecki and Zheng work with the school, but they are not paid for the content they produce.
“I started posting every day, my vlogs at High Point as a college student and I started getting a lot of views. I wanted to move forward with it. Then summer, coming into sophomore year, High Point, their social team reached out to me on Instagram and told me they’ve seen my videos and that they would love for me to be part of the influencer program,” said Zheng.
Niedzwiecki and Zheng enjoy posting the videos about the school, and there’s a deeper meaning behind it.
“I looked so hard when I was applying here (HPU) to find videos on YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok, that weren't directly coming from the school. I maybe found two things on YouTube, and they were not good. So, I was like I'm going to make something for people that are applying so they can see what the school looks like,” said Niedzwiecki.
The drive to help prospective students see what HPU’s campus is like from a current student perspective sheds light on the positive impact the app can make.
“I work for the Office of Communications, and I’ve worked at admission events. I’ve met parents and families and students who recognize me for my Tik Toks. I’ll talk to them, and I really love connecting with all those students and being able to help them with anything High Point related,” said Zheng.
Tik Tok has opened many doors for the two creators. Not only have they been recognized by prospective and current students, but well-known brands have started reaching out to them. Niedzwiecki recently finished a paid collaboration with Uber. She works with HBO Max, and had the opportunity to work with Niche, a site that connects students and universities, helping them award college scholarships.
Zheng is creating content for White Fox Boutique, a popular online clothing site. Brand collaborations are among the many benefits that creators get. Zheng hopes to come out with her own fashion line one day, and her presence on the app along with the collaborations she has done, will help her reach that goal.
Tik Tok is both a working and creative outlet for many content creators. It is no easy task sorting through video footage, using various editing apps and techniques to produce the content.
“It is very time consuming; it does take a lot of effort. I can spend anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple hours editing just one video,” said Niedzwiecki.
Niedzwiecki and Zheng, much like the millions of people who use Tik Tok, have poured their creative ability, passion and time into filming and editing the videos. When the temporary ban blocked Tik Tok from U.S. citizen’s devices, some people were not affected. But for the up-and-coming young influencers, the ban took away their future plans and dreams.
“I think in December, when it was a month away, I honestly wasn’t really worried. In my head, I was like oh it’s not going away because they’ve been saying it for a while, it’s not going away. But then when it was the weekend of, that was when it hit me, it was actually going to be gone,” said Zheng.
The app went dark, and emotions were running high for both creators and users.
“It was definitely nerve wracking. I didn’t really know what I was going to do because I have Instagram, but it’s more for people I went to high school with and family. I don't really post any of my video content on there,” said Niedzwiecki.
Niedzwiecki tried moving some of her content to Instagram, but it wasn’t as successful on that platform as it is on Tik Tok. Zheng also tried the move to Instagram. Since the algorithms are very different, Instagram doesn’t always work in the favor of other people, making it difficult to reach a certain demographic.
“It’s not just an app. For some people, it’s where they make money, it’s where they go for news and where they go to post whatever they want,” said Zheng.
The beloved app came back online shortly after going dark. Now, there’s speculation floating around as to what happened in those 14 hours while the app went nonexistent. Content creators and people who use the platform are questioning whether they changed the algorithm or not.
Niedzwiecki realized the app is not the same. She finds that Tik Tok is not pushing her videos out like it once was, and the content on her feed is very different.
“It's good, but I’m not as attracted to staying on the app for as long,” said Niedzwiecki.
With the uncertainty of the app looming, Niedzwiecki feels that her determination has slightly deteriorated. It’s impossible to know what may happen, but in an instant, it could be gone.
A piece of the main argument surrounding the ban of the app, is that Tik Tok, as well as all forms of social media, is negatively affecting mental health. Both creators understand that side of the argument and they feel it is an important part to pay attention to. From a creator perspective, Zheng and Niedzwiecki experience the mental toll firsthand.
“Social media really gets to you sometimes. If a video doesn’t do well, you’re posting every day, and don’t get the views, likes or engagement that you want; it can really bring you down. It can make you think about your life and your career choices,” said Zheng.
Zheng sees the good and bad side of social media. There is an equal amount of both, but it is a matter of steering clear of the bad. Creators like Zheng and Niedzwiecki are using the platform to spread positivity and showcase the goodness of the app.
“A lot of people see them as just silly, little videos but it’s something that’s nice to look back on. It’s like a diary, a video diary. It shares a lot of great moments that I have. I don't post any negative stuff; I like to keep it happy. I want my page to be a happy, bright place. So, it’s sad to think that it might not exist in the future,” said Niedzwiecki.
The question of Tik Tok’s future existence has creators looking at the bigger picture, outside of how it benefits them and thinking about the overall wellbeing of the country.
“It is such a money-maker. It really boggles my mind why you would want to get rid of this app that brings so much money to the U.S. economy. So many people make money off the app, I know some people can make a year’s salary with two videos, which is insane to think. There are so many small businesses that wouldn’t be thriving on Tik Tok, or in general, without Tik Tok,” said Niedzwiecki.
Many creators will visit small boutiques, businesses and restaurants. They review various products such as clothing items and food. Sharing the establishments names online has positively brought in traffic, which is starting and saving many businesses. Large companies also use Tik Tok, which has allowed advertising to reach a broader audience.
“I think that is such a cool, beautiful thing that wasn’t really able to be done before, especially on like Instagram,” said Niedzwiecki.
The future is still unclear for the app that millions of people love. Young influencers like Niedzwiecki and Zheng are holding onto hope, trying to get as much as they can out of the platform while it is still live. They’ll continue to create content, taking it one video at a time.