With a U.S. Ban Looming, TikTok Portrays Itself as a Force for Good

Over the past month, TikTok has been running an emotionally charged advertisement on Facebook and Instagram, featuring a young woman named Katie. In the ad, Katie recounts her journey of being diagnosed with a severe illness that led to kidney failure at the age of 19. However, her story takes a hopeful turn when she reveals that she was able to find a kidney donor, all because a stranger happened to be scrolling through TikTok.

Thanks to this unexpected connection, Katie received a life-saving transplant and is still here today. The ad’s caption reinforces this powerful message, stating, “For some people, having TikTok has literally been life-saving,” accompanied by a tearful smiling emoji.

This campaign is part of a large-scale promotional effort by TikTok, the social media platform owned by the Chinese tech giant ByteDance. The initiative aims to position TikTok as an indispensable platform for Americans and a crucial supporter of small businesses, as the company faces an impending April 5 deadline. By this date, TikTok must either sell to a non-Chinese owner or risk being banned in the United States. Former President Donald Trump, who had previously paused a federal law requiring the sale due to national security concerns over the app’s Chinese ties, has indicated that he may allow more time for a deal to materialize.

Despite this, TikTok appears to be leaving nothing to chance.

In recent months, the company has significantly ramped up its marketing efforts, saturating Washington with advertisements, securing full-page wraparound ads in major newspapers such as The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times, and investing heavily in national television commercials. Extending its life-saving theme, TikTok has also highlighted a creator who sells products designed to aid in CPR administration.

TikTok’s aggressive advertising push comes in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in January, upholding a law that effectively bans the app. This led to TikTok briefly shutting down in the United States for approximately 12 hours. In an effort to counteract potential fallout, the platform has significantly increased its ad spending. According to AdImpact, a media tracking firm, TikTok spent about $5 million on advertisements in February and March of last year when Congress first debated the ban. This year, during the same months, that figure has already surpassed $7 million.

Lindsay Gorman, managing director of the technology program at the German Marshall Fund and a former tech adviser in the Biden administration, commented on TikTok’s efforts. She noted that the company is actively working to sway public opinion in its favor, emphasizing that the push to “save TikTok” remains strong even as negotiations reach their final stages.

While TikTok declined to comment directly, the company continues to operate as if business is proceeding as usual. Since February, TikTok executives have reassured creators that they believe the platform has a future in the U.S., particularly due to shifting attitudes within the Trump administration. Several creators have confirmed receiving these reassurances.

“It’s a complete turnaround,” said H. Lee Justine, a TikTok creator and author. “Back in January, discussions about the ban dominated the app. Now, it’s barely mentioned on my For You Page.”

Justine participated in a February briefing with TikTok executives, including Michael Beckerman, the company’s head of public policy for the Americas. She recalled that their tone was overwhelmingly optimistic, leaving her feeling reassured about the app’s future.

Advertising on the platform also appears to be recovering. Data from MikMak, a software company that tracks ad-driven retail sales, indicates that many major brands had temporarily halted marketing on TikTok before the ban in January. However, these companies did not fully resume advertising in February due to the uncertainty surrounding the app’s status. Since mid-February, when TikTok was reinstated on app stores like Apple’s and Google’s, ad traffic has steadily rebounded, reaching levels comparable to those of the previous quarter.

“There is no other platform that offers the same reach and engagement as TikTok,” said Rachel Tipograph, CEO of MikMak. “Until brands receive a definitive directive prohibiting ad spending there, they will continue to invest in TikTok.”

Beyond advertisements, TikTok is preparing to maintain a strong presence at key industry events. The company is scheduled to participate in a major advertising conference in New York and is collaborating on projects with American creators that extend beyond the April 5 deadline.

TikTok is also listed as a partner for the Cannes Lions advertising festival in France this June. Last year, the company flew its CEO, Shou Chew, along with popular U.S.-based TikTok influencers like Alix Earle, to the festival. Additionally, TikTok plans to present at the NewFronts conference in May, a major event for digital media advertisers in New York. The presentation will take place alongside those of streaming service Tubi and technology company Yahoo.

Daniel Daks, CEO of Palette Media, which represents over 230 social media influencers, believes TikTok’s continued planning beyond the potential ban date reflects its confidence. “From TikTok’s perspective, it’s business as usual,” he said. “They’re proceeding with projects that extend well past the theoretical ban deadline.”

For years, TikTok and ByteDance have maintained that selling the app is not a viable option, partly due to anticipated opposition from the Chinese government. Despite the looming deadline and discussions about potential buyers—including speculation about Oracle’s involvement—TikTok has not publicly indicated any change in its stance.

Last week, senior congressional aides met with Oracle representatives as discussions over TikTok’s future continue. Lawmakers who support the legislation banning TikTok have expressed concerns that ByteDance may attempt to negotiate with the Trump administration to retain Chinese influence over the app and its algorithm.

According to Gorman, TikTok’s extensive advertising campaign is, in part, an effort to ease lawmakers’ concerns. “The company is effectively re-litigating the law,” she said. “They’re encouraging Congress to reconsider enforcing the ban.”

Desiree Hill, a 39-year-old mechanic from Georgia who appeared in one of TikTok’s ads, believes the emphasis on small-business owners is a strategic appeal to policymakers. “It’s a huge economic driver,” she said. “If TikTok is taken away, businesses will suffer.”

However, Hill admits she is more worried about TikTok’s future now than she was earlier this year.

“They showed us they could cut off access,” she said. “That makes it feel like a real threat this time around.”