VOA科学技术2025--Small Businesses Say US TikTok Ban Would Hurt Them

As the date nears for a possible U.S. ban on the video sharing service TikTok, some small companies are saying such a ban would hurt their business.

The U.S. Justice Department has ordered TikTok's China-based parent, ByteDance, to sell the social media app by January 19 or face the ban. Lawyers for ByteDance and TikTok have sought legal action to temporarily block the Justice Department's order.

The Supreme¹ Court is expected to consider the matter in January. President-elect Donald Trump², who takes office January 20, has asked the Supreme Court to delay a ban to permit solving the problem through "political means."

U.S. officials have long warned that TikTok presents national security concerns. The government accuses ByteDance of sharing user data with China's government. Critics have said China could also use TikTok to spread misinformation and that material published on the service can harm the mental health of young users.

TikTok has repeatedly denied the accusations³. The company has said it sees the app as an important tool to support Americans' right to free speech.

Industry experts have said a U.S. ban on TikTok could affect millions of small businesses that use the service to grow.

TikTok launched in the United States in 2016. Since then, many small business owners have been using it in different ways. These include marketing⁴ and advertising⁵ campaigns to introduce new products. Many companies also sell goods directly through the app.

TikTok's own estimates suggest small businesses currently using the service would lose more than $1 billion in revenue in a single month if the ban goes into effect.

One example of how TikTok can be used to quickly grow a business is the experience of Desiree Hill. She is the owner of Crown's Corner Mechanic in Conyers, Georgia.

She told the Associated Press that sharing videos of her work on TikTok helped spread the word online about her business. As a result, the app made her services so popular she was able to open her own shop with five employees 18 months ago.

"Every day I get at least two to three customers that have seen me on TikTok, watched my videos and wanted to become a customer," Hill said.

If a ban on TikTok is established, many businesses would likely move to other services to reach customers. Instagram Reels, Snapchat and YouTube Shorts are three possibilities. Many small companies already use those apps. But business experts say it might be harder to get teens who have long used TikTok to start using other apps.

Another way for businesses to reduce the effects of a ban would be for them to build a strong base of customers who are willing to provide their contact emails or phone numbers. That permits owners to reach out directly to users with new offers and other marketing messages.

Hill, of Crown Corner Mechanics, worries that other services would not reach as many possible customers as TikTok. She said she is already using YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, but has not been getting the same results.

"I am worried because there is no preparation for this," Hill told the AP. She added, "If I lose TikTok, I will lose a large part of my business or I will lose my ability to grow anymore."

Crystal Lister uses TikTok for her business, called Mommy and Me: The Listers, in Cypress⁶, Texas. The company offers interactive⁷ educational training in subjects including technology and science. Now, she is seeking to move her offerings to YouTube and Instagram Reels but says TikTok is easier to use.

"It is going to be a challenge if TikTok is banned because we're losing kind of all the functionality you want," Lister said. These could include video creation methods and the ability to spread product details through social media. "So we'll have to use many other platforms to supplement what TikTok did in one."

I'm Bryan Lynn.

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

app - n. a small computer program that can be put onto a mobile phone or other electronic device

customer - n. a person or organization that buys goods or services from a shop or business

interactive - adj. involving communication between people

challenge - n. something difficult that tests one's ability or determination

functionality - n. the way something works

supplement - v. to add things to make something larger or better

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

3 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

4 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

5 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

6 cypress   

n.柏树

参考例句：

• The towering pine and cypress trees defy frost and snow.松柏参天傲霜雪。
• The pine and the cypress remain green all the year round.苍松翠柏，常绿不凋。

7 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。