TikTok creators in North Texas are worried about their future after a recent Supreme Court ruling raises concerns about the app’s security.
North Texas: Matt Krath, a TikTok creator, was one of the first users on the platform after Vine shut down. His account, @Matt, has 2.3 million followers now.
He shared that his page really took off during COVID when everyone was stuck at home. That’s when he decided to quit his full-time job.
Krath remembers his old boss mocking him for choosing content creation, saying, “You’ll be back.” But he proved them wrong.
For years, he’s supported his family through TikTok and side gigs, creating fun videos about his travels and sharing tips. He spends hours making sure each video meets his fans’ expectations.
One of his popular videos was about winning at arcade games, and he loves encouraging people to be themselves and share cool experiences.
But now, the recent Supreme Court ruling about TikTok’s potential security risks has him worried. The court raised concerns about foreign control and user data collection.
“If TikTok goes away, it’s like losing my whole business and starting over,” Krath said. “It’s tough mentally, too.”
He doesn’t buy into the fears about TikTok’s security and questions the bigger picture. “They already have our data. The damage is done,” he said.
Another creator, Kendle Bishop, has over 500,000 followers on her TikTok pages. She started using TikTok for fun while traveling and now works with brands like Marriott.
For her, TikTok has been a surprising career boost, but she’s also branching out to a new platform called RedNote, where she quickly gained over 8,000 followers.
However, some officials worry that RedNote might be an even bigger security risk than TikTok.
Krath wishes he had diversified his content sooner instead of focusing only on TikTok. “It’s hard to stay positive when you don’t know what’s next,” he said.
Now, he’s looking for a job while trying to build a presence on another platform, feeling the pressure of uncertainty.
