GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — With a possible TikTok ban looming, one Memphis business owner says her livelihood could be in jeopardy.
Chloe Sexton, owner of the Germantown bakery Bluffcakes, has gained a substantial following since joining the app in 2021.
“I never would have come to where I am today if I didnt have the resources of TikTok,” Sexton said.
After losing her job prior to opening Bluffcakes, Sexton began posting short clips on the popular app under the username ‘ChloeBluffCakes.’
In just three years, Sexton and her business have grown a large fanbase, gaining over 2 million followers and 80 million likes on her posts. All that support has helped her to generate more money for the bakery and her life.
“We have a location here in Memphis. We have shipped in all 50 states and every area in Canada,” Sexton said. “We do celebrity custom orders — it has turned our world upside down, in a good way.”
So, with the app possibly being banned, Sexton said it will severely impact her business.
“Sure, there’s Instagram reels and there’s Facebook but they’re not as powerful,” Sexton said. “In no world you would immediately get a billboard for free that two million people are going to see, but you have that with TikTok.
“To take that from small businesses, would be incredibly devastating not just on a personal level for people like me, but on an economic level. TikTok has changed the way people make money, the way people work from themselves or change their careers in an instant.”
A bill to ban TikTok passed the House of Representatives last week. Congress created the bill because they claim they are worried about China having too much information on Americans.
In order for TikTok to avoid a U.S. ban, its Chinese-based parent company ByteDance, would have to relinquish ownership according to the new bill.
In response to the House of Representatives, TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew denied Congress’ claims and said that the anger towards the app is misplaced.
“As somebody who is constantly fighting an uphill battle with three kids and small business and life getting increasingly more expensive – yeah, I would definitely say there are a million things they could focus their energy into,” Chew said. “If you are so concerned about safety, this is not the way to go about it at all. Better educated yourself on how the app works and better educate yourself on how much good it’s doing.”
The bill is currently on its way to the Senate, where it is expected to pass.
President Joe Biden has said he would sign the bill if it makes its way onto its desk.
