Black creators are weighing in with their thoughts regarding TikTok’s recent sale.
As previously reported by AFROTECH™, TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance Ltd., must be sold to U.S. investors or risk being banned. More than 170 million Americans use the platform. On Dec. 18, tech company Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake, and investment firm MGX reached a deal to form a new entity that will control the U.S. TikTok app.
The deal still requires regulatory approval from China and is expected to close Jan. 22, 2026.
The platform has been especially beneficial for entrepreneurs selling products through TikTok Shop and creators such as Golloria George, who has 3.3 million followers on the platform and 170.2 million likes (at the time of this writing). The beauty creator has used her platform to advocate for greater representation of darker shades among brands and across the beauty industry.
@golloria definetly feel like it gave me more warmth than shadow
She hopes the TikTok sale will not censor her work.
“I hope it stays authentic and doesn’t censor creators for having a voice. The beauty of the platform is that people can get on TikTok and say what they want to say. That is most important,” George explained to Variety.
Dancer Markell Washington is another creator on the platform. He has 11.3 million followers and 576.4 million likes (at the time of this writing). Washington shared concerns about the current algorithm and hopes that, following the sale, it will become more favorable.
“I’m excited, but also mentally drained because the algorithm is so confusing right now,” Washington told Variety. “From a creator’s perspective, the algorithm is making me feel like I have to do backflips and jump off a building to get views. Hopefully, after it’s sold, it can get back to normal with the original algorithm because it’s taking the fun out of creating. I’m creating content and trying to evolve with the algorithm, but it’s not getting rewarded at the same time.”
