by Sean Davis

The U.S. is embracing the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Tech businesses have lived up to the Silicon Valley motto, "move fast and break things," by completely turning the tide of society and how human beings operate. These companies have achieved their goals by vying for market power, cementing acquisitions, stockpiling talent, and spending billions on federal lobbying. Despite persistent challenges, the Black community has navigated through this tech revolution to establish businesses and build brands on various social platforms. 

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives has focused on TikTok. Citing the platform's foreign ownership as a cause for potential data security threats, a bipartisan effort led the House to pass a bill (Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act) forcing Bytedance, TikTok's parent company, to sell the business or risk a complete ban on all U.S. phones. Between a potential ban and Universal Music Group (UMG) removing their music, the impact on content creators and the digital advertising market seems inevitable. Black Americans used TikTok's personalized feeds and video editing features to make the app a top competitor amongst U.S.-based platforms. The company itself acknowledged the impact that Black Americans have made, stating, 

"Black creators inspire mainstream culture and continue to define what's next. From creating viral moments and pioneering new spaces in fashion and music to advocating for others and organizing for a better future, they have always been at the forefront of innovation." 

While these sentiments are touching, Black content creators on TikTok are still underpaid compared to other communities. Look at Jalaiah Harmon, a dancer and content creator responsible for the viral 'Renegade' dance that Charli D'Amelio, another creator, co-opted. Harmon has gained a following along with $1 million in 2021, but that still pales compared to D'Amelio, whose net worth is approximately $20 million. While D’Amelio has acknowledged that Harmon is the creator of the dance, Harmon's struggles are not unique. Black content creators set innovative trends that generate clicks, viral hashtags, and attention, but these same creators are not fairly compensated for their work. Viral Sensation, Reesa Teesa earned millions of followers after she released a 50-part series entitled Who Did I Marry? on TikTok. Despite generating over 197 million views and gaining 2 million followers, Teesa struggled to get into the TikTok Creator Fund. TikTok stated that many of Teesa's videos were ineligible for monetization because they were released before membership approval, but TikTok received and continues to receive revenue from the clicks, ad impressions, and video ads linked to the content. Stories like this are common amongst Black content creators, leaving many to maneuver from platform to platform, looking for the best opportunity. 

We are witnessing a decline in the social media economy as regulation and congressional scrutiny increase. If the proposed TikTok ban goes through, Black content creators will have an even smaller share of affiliate marketing dollars due to a lack of viable options. Other platforms, like Instagram and X, lack creator support programs, such as the Tiktok Creator Fund or engagement metrics that reward user interaction more than follower count. These features help democratize marketing and business analytics rather than using pay-to-play tactics. 

Black influencers and policymakers should follow a two-pronged approach to democratize the content creator market. For Black influencers and business owners, ownership of intellectual property, trademarking brands, and copyrighting works are vital. Building equity for all requires Black content to be managed and owned by Black artists. Some examples of leaders creating their own platforms include Spill and Fanbase, created by Alphonso Terrell and Isaac Hayes III, respectively.  Secondly, Congress should protect these business owners with regulations that secure fair competition in the digital advertising market. This legislation should then do at least these four things:  

1.  Increase transparency in their algorithms and policies governing content promotion and monetization, e.g., PATA

2. Encourage brands and advertisers to actively collaborate with diverse creators.

3. Implement educational initiatives to empower Black creators with the skills and knowledge to navigate and thrive in the digital landscape. 

4. Mandate companies to implement independent third-party audits to monitor artificial intelligence tools and report findings.

While the future of TikTok is uncertain, what is certain is that Black entrepreneurs and small business owners need platforms that see them as partners and valued contributors to the digital advertising market.