Summarised by Centrist
The fate of TikTok in the US hangs in the balance as President-elect Donald Trump considers a 90-day extension for its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest.
For now, New Zealanders continue to use TikTok, with officials confirming there are no plans to extend the Parliamentary ban on the app to the wider public. Yet, if the US ban proceeds, the fallout could redefine how Kiwi creators and businesses engage with global audiences.
Massey University digital marketing expert Phoebe Fletcher warns New Zealand content creators may lose traffic and brand appeal if TikTok’s US user base, one of the largest globally, vanishes.
Auckland marketing strategist Jeremy Logan says millions of followers tied to sponsorships and brand deals could “pretty much vanish,” severely limiting creators’ international opportunities.
Kiwi influencers like gynaecologist Danielle Jones (1.2 million followers) note how the platform has democratized content creation for younger audiences, with 75% of New Zealand users under 35.
While alternatives like Instagram or Facebook exist, Otago University lecturer Olivier Jutel notes creators face a steep learning curve adapting to new algorithms. VPNs, touted as a workaround, may also prove costly and complex for everyday users.
