The ongoing threat of a TikTok ban just got more serious.

Today (December 5), a US federal appeals court upheld a law that requires TikTok’s owner, Chinese technology company ByteDance, to divest from the app in the US by early next year or face a ban.

Unless the Supreme Court intervenes, the decision leaves TikTok’s fate up to President Joe Biden, who must decide whether to extend the Jan. 19 deadline by 90 days before handing it over to President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

It’s not yet clear how the ban will affect users, creators or brands. But amid uncertainty, creators who rely heavily on TikTok are starting to diversify their content and engage with their communities through new platforms.

Diversification of content

Creatives foster real community through entertainment or education. However, to remain resilient to platform changes, it is important that content is not dependent on just one platform for distribution. Platforms can come and go, like Vine, or change significantly, as seen with X (formerly Twitter).

@scrubhacks Follow your favorite creators/companies on other platforms to support them! #tiktokban #nursetok ♬ Original sound – Scrubhacks | Lindsey Shelton

Developers need to ensure they provide value across multiple platforms. For example, a TikTok creator known for sharing business strategies might start by creating a community on LinkedIn or start a Substack to expand their following to other places.

“You should want to be recognized on as many platforms as possible,” said founder Abby Fridman, emphasizing the importance of growing an audience, which can lead to brand partnerships or sales.

Danger for what comes next

As one popular video platform disappears, another emerges. From Vine to TikTok to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, there are many relevant platforms to reach people with videos. Creators should be early adopters and bring their community and audience with them into these new spaces.

TikTokers may want to repurpose their most viral content for other short video platforms. YouTubers like Eric Sedeño and Golloria share their content not only on TikTok, but also on Instagram pages and other video platforms.