Possible TikTok ban leaves some small businesses concerned for their survival

With nan clock ticking connected TikTok successful nan U.S., millions of users, including mini business owners, are scrambling to fig retired what to do.

One of them is Brandon Hurst, who says TikTok has changed his life done his works transportation business.

"It allows maine to spell live, stock who I am, but it besides makes it easy for group to buy," Hurst said. 

Since he started trading plants connected TikTok past year, Hurst, amended known arsenic "Brandon nan Plant Guy," says he has tripled his business.

"In nan past twelvemonth we've been capable to waste 57,000 (plants)," Hurst said.

His institution is 1 of 7 cardinal mini businesses connected TikTok, nan societal media level alleges. TikTok besides claims it supports much than 224,000 American jobs.

"I person friends and family members that activity for maine and thief package plants and orders," Hurst said. "So this goes beyond conscionable maine now. This is simply a squad of 8 different group that would suffer their jobs."

The TikTok prohibition was signed into rule Wednesday by President Biden arsenic portion of a $95 cardinal overseas assistance package. Under nan caller law, ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese-based owner, has 9 to 12 months to waste nan level to an American owner, aliases TikTok faces being banned successful nan U.S.

A prohibition would unit scores of entrepreneurs to look for a caller home. Meanwhile, TikTok plans to record a suit complete nan prohibition successful national court.

"One of nan reasons that TikTok has go truthful celebrated among mini businesses is because it has an ability, dissimilar immoderate different platform, to nonstop products flying disconnected nan beingness and virtual shelves," Jasmine Enberg, an expert for nan information patient eMarketer, told CBS News.

Enberg believes Meta would beryllium "one of nan biggest beneficiaries" of a TikTok ban.

"Instagram Reels is nan astir earthy fit," to switch TikTok, Enberg said. "It isn't precisely nan same. You tin replicate nan technology, but you can't replicate nan culture."

So wherever would Hurst pivot his societal media business successful nan arena of a TikTok ban.

"I'm connected Instagram, I've been doing business connected different platforms," Hurst said. "…There's conscionable not that galore places you tin unrecorded sell. So I haven't thought astir it yet, to beryllium honest. I'm not sure...what we would do."

In:
• Small Business
• Economy
• TikTok