Alex Pearlman, a former stand-up comedian turned TikTok sensation with over 2.5 million followers, recently announced his first nationwide tour after quitting his customer service job. However, Pearlman, along with many other content creators on the platform, is outraged over a bipartisan bill passed by the House of Representatives that could lead to a nationwide ban of TikTok if its China-based owner, ByteDance, doesn't sell its stake. The bill still needs to go through the Senate, where its prospects are uncertain.

TikTok, which has skyrocketed in popularity since its launch in 2016, has become a vital source of income for many creators, including Jensen Savannah from Charlotte, who tripled her income as a full-time influencer after leaving her telecommunications sales job. The app has also provided a platform for marginalized groups like Joshua Dairen, a Black content creator from Auburn, Alabama, who has found opportunities to share his state's ghost stories and urban legends.

For Chris Bautista, a food truck owner in Los Angeles catering to television and movie sets, TikTok has been a lifeline for connecting with the LGBTQ+ community and providing support for those struggling with their identities. Bautista, who didn't come out until his late 20s, believes the app serves as a crucial social safety net for many individuals.

Despite the positive impact TikTok has had on its users, concerns about the app's addictive nature, especially for young audiences, have been raised since its inception. As the debate over the app's future continues in Congress, creators like Marcus Bridgewater from Spring, Texas, worry about the potential consequences of a ban on their livelihoods and the communities they have built on the platform.