TikTok’s economic footprint: 28 million U.S. jobs ried to the platform amid regulatory uncertainty

A newly released report from Oxford Economics highlights TikTok’s significant influence on the U.S. economy, revealing that 7.5 million businesses leveraging the platform employ over 28 million workers. The findings, commissioned by TikTok, emphasize the platform’s role in supporting job creation, lead generation, and business expansion. However, as TikTok faces ongoing regulatory challenges, the report also raises questions about the broader implications of its uncertain future in the United States.

Oxford Economics’ analysis estimates that 4.7 million U.S. jobs directly benefit from TikTok. This includes over 3.1 million workers actively using the platform to create content, manage business accounts, or engage audiences. Additionally, 1.6 million jobs indirectly profit from TikTok through sales leads, customer engagement, and user feedback analytics. The broader figure of 28 million represents employees of businesses that maintain a TikTok presence, illustrating the platform’s deep integration into the U.S. business landscape.

TikTok’s accessibility and unique algorithm have proven especially valuable for small and mid-sized businesses. According to the report, 74% of surveyed businesses credit TikTok with helping them scale operations, a benefit felt across various industries. Entrepreneurs like Vanessa Barreat, owner of La Vecindad in Las Vegas, attribute their business growth to TikTok’s ability to connect them with customers and expand their reach beyond traditional marketing methods. Similarly, Alex Bellman of Bellman Jewelers in New Hampshire noted that TikTok played a key role in tripling his business and enabling expansion to a second location.

While the report underscores TikTok’s growing economic contributions, its release comes at a time when the platform’s future in the U.S. remains in limbo. The U.S. government has pushed forward with legislative efforts requiring TikTok to be sold to a U.S. company, citing national security concerns over potential data sharing with China. Despite lobbying efforts and attempts to demonstrate its economic benefits, the platform remains under heavy scrutiny.

TikTok has taken an active role in advocating for its continued operation in the U.S., even providing state-by-state breakdowns of its economic influence to garner local support. However, critics argue that these economic benefits are not the primary concern driving regulatory actions. Lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a bill mandating TikTok’s divestiture, citing classified national security risks, with a decisive 431-83 vote in favor of the legislation.

The debate over TikTok’s presence in the U.S. underscores a larger struggle between economic impact and national security considerations. While TikTok has undoubtedly transformed digital marketing, created jobs, and fueled business growth, lawmakers remain firm on their stance that these advantages do not outweigh potential risks related to data privacy and foreign influence.