This article has been updated to reflect the Supreme Court's decision Friday morning to uphold a TikTok ban in the United States.
A law banning TikTok in the United States is scheduled to take effect on Sunday.
During oral arguments on Jan. 10, TikTok lawyer Noel Francisco told justices, "On Jan. 19, as I understand it, we shut down."
The law has garnered outrage among TikTok creators, many of whom have built massive followings — and even careers — on the app. TikTok’s 170 million American users also include over seven million small businesses that have used the platform for marketing and sales, generating $15 billion in revenue in 2023, by the app's own estimate.
One of those businesses is Linda Tong Planners, based in Des Moines.
@lindatongplanners Obsessed with how these turned out!! Peep the thicker ribbons 👀 #2025planner #premadebujo #premadebulletjournal #bulletjournal #planner #academicplanner #midyearplanner #planners #stationery ♬ Grammarg - BLVKSHP
Tong sells illustrated stationary, like planners, calendars and journals, as well as other office supplies on her website. Since 2020, she's posted videos and gone live on TikTok to advertise her products, gaining thousands of followers in the process.
"Shortly after I shared my first couple of videos, they went viral," she said.
She also utilizes TikTok Shop, which allows users to buy from her straight through the app.
Since TikTok has been a major driver of her sales, Tong says she'll need to reevaluate where to focus her efforts now that the app is likely to go dark in the U.S. She's active on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, but has also begun exploring RedNote, a Chinese app similar to TikTok that's recently gained popularity among Americans.
"I'm basically waiting at this point and seeing what happens on Sunday," she said. "If it really is banned, then I might have to shift my focus. Maybe this will be a time for me where I can focus on my wholesale partners, rather than just direct to consumer. And I do really have a really strong community of returning customers, so it's not like I'll be losing the business. It'll just be focusing on different things."
Maddie Palmersheim, owner of Moo's Bakery in Cedar Falls, has also gained a significant following on TikTok. She started documenting the process of opening her plant-based bakery in 2024.
Immediately, her videos took off.
“I just decided to post a video of the first week. And pretty much as soon as I posted it, it started getting a lot of traction," she said.
Unlike Tong, Palmersheim doesn't sell directly through TikTok, but the platform has provided her with exposure and encouragement from TikTok's community, which she says she'll miss. Still, the support didn’t always translate into sales.
"I think maybe sometimes it's easy to look at social media and see that somebody has a certain follower amount and think, ‘Oh my gosh, their business or their project is, like, blowing up.' But it doesn't take away from the small business struggles that we're not immune to because of this one social platform," she said.
If TikTok goes away, she says she plans to invest in more traditional marketing strategies to connect with local customers.
"I think maybe sometimes it's easy to look at social media and see that somebody has a certain follower amount and think, ‘Oh my gosh, their business or their project is, like, blowing up.' But it doesn't take away from the small business struggles that we're not immune to because of this one social platform."Maddie Palmersheim, owner of Moo's Bakery
Some small Iowa businesses have benefited from TikTok fame without ever using the app themselves. In 2023, Maccabees Deli, Iowa's only kosher deli, saw business boom after local creator Sarah Booz made a popular TikTok video recommending them. Their celebrity has continued years later — while completing an interview with IPR for this story, two customers walked in saying they discovered the deli from TikTok and wanted to give it a try.
Owner Rabbi Yossi Jacobson says he's grateful for the business the viral video has brought, but he's certain that as long as he continues doing what he's doing — which, after all, inspired the video in the first place — good things will continue to come.
"We really benefited," he said. "But again, the Almighty works in many different ways, and your mission could be amplified through many other tools that are out there. If it's not TikTok, it'll be another social media, you know?"
