🤔 A Fediverse Fix for TikTok Troubles 🚫
On January 19, 2025, TikTok briefly went dark for several hours, sparking panic among many of its 170 million U.S. users. The RESTRICT Act, passed by Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support, required a sale or ban due to national security concerns surrounding its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. The policy was designed to address security concerns but it also disrupts the millions who rely on the platform for creativity, business, expression, and community building.
Interestingly, former President Trump — who had previously in 2020 raised national security concerns about TikTok and even signed an executive order that declared “action must be taken to address the threat posed by one mobile application in particular, TikTok” — has come to the app’s defense. On his first day back in office, Trump issued a new executive order delaying the blackout for 75 days. Concerned with liability, the app remains unavailable for download on Apple and Google app stores, but internet service providers continue to allow access to TikTok’s content to existing customers, creating a complex situation for users.
What if there was a better way? A way for creators to take their followers, content, and business with them — even if TikTok went dark?
What Is the Fediverse?
The Fediverse is a network of decentralized social platforms connected through open protocols. Services like Threads, Mastodon, and BlueSky offer users a chance to move freely between platforms while keeping their content, followers, and connections intact. Unlike traditional centralized social media platforms such as TikTok, which are owned by a single company, the Fediverse operates on a federated model, giving users more control over their digital lives.
Crucially, the Fediverse eliminates the risk of being “locked in” to one platform. Users can migrate to another service within the network without losing their followers or content. This flexibility ensures that no single platform — or its government ties or potential ban — has outsized control over users’ data or access to their audience. For TikTok creators, this means that even if one platform goes dark, they can continue to grow their audience and engage their community across a variety of decentralized platforms, taking their livelihood and free expression with them.
The TikTok Dilemma: Security Meets Speech
TikTok has become a flashpoint for debates about free speech and national security. ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, is seen by the U.S. government as a “foreign adversary” and potential threat. Concerns center around the app’s data collection practices — tracking everything from geolocation to political preferences — and its algorithm’s capacity to influence discourse and public opinion. With millions of American users — many of whom rely on TikTok for business or creative expression — banning the app presents significant risks to freedom of speech and the livelihood of content creators.
The RESTRICT Act, passed with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, aimed to mitigate these risks by forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok or face a ban. Yet, removing TikTok could silence millions of users and their voices and disrupt thriving communities. For creators and small businesses, the platform has become a crucial tool that can’t easily be replaced. The outrage over the ban was palpable — on Tiktok.
While Trump’s executive order delayed the blackout for 75 days, many users remain unsure of their future on the app. This highlights the vulnerabilities of centralized platforms, where decisions by a single company or government can upend entire ecosystems.
Loop: A Fediverse Solution for TikTok Users
Loop, a Fediverse-based alternative to TikTok, offers a decentralized version of Tiktok. Loop combines the short-form video style users love with the decentralized infrastructure of the Fediverse. This means creators retain control over their content, followers, and data, even if one platform within the network changes or shuts down.
Had TikTok been built on a framework like the Fediverse — or if Loop becomes a popular alternative — users wouldn’t face the existential crisis of losing their digital communities. Instead, they could seamlessly transition to other platforms while maintaining their content and relationships.
A Decentralized Approach to Free Speech and Security
A decentralized system like the Fediverse addresses many of the issues plaguing centralized platforms. While centralized models aren’t inherently dangerous, they can become problematic when one entity wields too much control over data, content, or user access. The Fediverse distributes power, ensuring users have greater autonomy over their digital lives.
Governments could regulate platforms for security reasons without jeopardizing users’ ability to connect and create. A Fediverse model also mitigates concerns about censorship. Instead of relying on a single platform to dictate what content is permissible, the Fediverse empowers users to choose servers that align with their values and policies.
Why the Fediverse Matters for Creators and Communities
For creators, decentralization is a game-changer. Platforms like Loop allow them to monetize their content on their terms, whether through direct support from followers or other decentralized funding models. Creators wouldn’t have to rely on algorithms or opaque corporate policies to reach their audiences. They could connect with their followers on their own terms, without worrying about platform changes or government regulations.
Communities, too, would thrive in a decentralized ecosystem. TikTok has built diverse, vibrant communities that could be preserved in a Fediverse framework. Instead of fearing a ban or shutdown, users could migrate their networks to new platforms within the ecosystem, maintaining their relationships and creative momentum.
Conclusion: A New Path Forward
The TikTok controversy underscores the urgent need for a more resilient and balanced internet. Loop and other Fediverse-based platforms provide a roadmap for a future where users that enjoy a Tiktok-style format could retain control over their content and followers while addressing legitimate security concerns. By embracing decentralization, we can create a digital landscape where free speech and national security coexist without compromising user autonomy. The TikTok blackout should serve as a wake-up call — it’s time to prioritize solutions that empower creators, protect speech, and provide security.
Hillary is an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law School teaching courses including Digital Advocacy and Technology Policy in Practice that address issues including artificial intelligence, decentralized technologies, content moderation, intellectual property, antitrust, and digital governance.
