The TikTok ban is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 19 unless the U.S. Supreme Court decides to intervene. Credit: Shutterstock / DenPhotos

The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments Friday morning whether to uphold a ban on TikTok passed by Congress and signed by outgoing President Joe Biden.

If Chinese parent company ByteDance doesn’t divest from the video-sharing platform, it will cease U.S. operation Jan. 19 without intervention from the high court.

Like any other U.S. city, San Antonio has its share of influencers who use TikTok. Some of them have racked up millions of views on the platform and rely on their robust following to pay the bills. After all that work building an audience, they worry their livelihoods and their ability to support local business is about to evaporate.

TikTok has become a powerful information sharing platform, and free-speech advocates argue the ban is an attack on First Amendment rights, designed to quell dissent. At the local level, influencers argue small businesses need the platform as an inexpensive tool to promote their brands.

“Without the platform, I won’t have the same ability to help these businesses reach new customers,” San Antonio TikTok influencer Kaylee Baker told the Current. “It’s disheartening to think that a tool which has allowed me to give back to my community might be taken away.”

TikTok as a job

Gabby Gonzalez has garnered millions of likes on her TikTok account Siempre San Antonio, which showcases local businesses and fun things to do. The account, which she launched during the pandemic, has become successful enough that it’s evolved into her full-time job.

Brands find Gonzalez’s TikTok and hire her to produce slick promotional videos showcasing her experiences at their establishments.

“It’s definitely been a wonderful resource, and I hope it won’t go away,” Gonzalez said.

However, even if it does, she’s confident another platform would take its place.

Stephanie Guerra — who partners with businesses including grocer H-E-B on her account Puro Pinche SA — said she’s also hopeful she’ll be able to communicate in other ways should the ban go through.

“If TikTok goes away, I’m guessing my contract will be adjusted because TikTok content is no longer needed,” Guerra told the Current. “I can’t speak on their behalf but I’m confident that H-E-B has a plan in place to pivot if this happens.”

Damage to small businesses

A TikTok ban wouldn’t just affect influencers. Many of them said the impact of the videos for small businesses is tangible. Even if another platform takes TikTok’s place, many business owners would be left scrambling.

“As a small TikTok creator focused on promoting San Antonio’s small businesses, this potential ban could impact my ability to reach a wide audience and connect with my local community,” said Alamo City influencer Baker, who reviews local coffee shops as a remote worker.

“TikTok has allowed me to give so many shops, restaurants and stores the attention they deserve,” she added.

Gonzalez of the Siempre San Antonio account said she’s seen the impact her videos can make for mom-and-pop businesses. Some owners have told her “there was a line for days” after she posted videos about them.

As an example, Gonzalez’s recent video featuring second-hand craft shop Spare Parts ended up getting more than 77,000 views on TikTok alone.

“Since Gabby’s video was published this past Saturday, we’ve gained over 2,000 more followers on TikTok and Instagram, which is significant for us,” Spare Parts said in a statement supplied to the Current. “Expanding our reach helps more people learn about our mission and creative reuse in general.”

Access to information

Though congressional proponents of the TikTok ban argue it’s necessary to stop China from accessing U.S. consumers’ sensitive online data, critics said they think the move is an effort to censor dissent and shut down an egalitarian form of information sharing.

Gonzalez said a marked shift in opinion began after October 7, 2023, when people began sharing information on Israel’s deadly devastation of Gaza on the platform.

“That’s where a lot of us get our news,” Gonzalez said. “We were getting information on there we weren’t getting anywhere else.”

She cautioned that the ripple effect of a TikTok ban might be felt not just by those looking for details on new local businesses but those seeking alternative sources of news and information.

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This article appears in Jan 8-21, 2025.

Stephanie Koithan is the Digital Content Editor of the San Antonio Current. In her role, she writes about politics, music, art, culture and food. Send her a tip at skoithan@sacurrent.com.