Ban TikTok? America’s Small Business Owners Split on the Idea

The US House of Representatives voted 352-65 to pass a bill (H.R. 7521) that would effectively ban TikTok in the United States by requiring the Chinese owner ByteDance to divest the app within 6 months. While the Senate's path forward on the TikTok ban remains uncertain, opinion among small business owners is divided, with 35% saying they are supportive of the ban, and 41% say they oppose, according to the March Freedom Economy Index. 

"This proposed TikTok ban is a double-edged sword for small businesses," said Andrew Crapuchettes, CEO of RedBalloon, said. "On one hand, there are valid concerns about a foreign government influencing our culture and voting behavior. But TikTok has become a valuable marketing and sales channel for many entrepreneurs. A ban could disrupt their ability to reach customers." 

The issue is well-known among business owners. Only 2.2% of small business owners say they haven't heard of the TikTok ban issue, underscoring the high level of engagement and concern among this community. 

Methodology: 

The Freedom Economy Index surveyed a universe of over 80,000 small business owners throughout the United States, fielding the questionnaire from March 15-19, 2024, with 839 respondents. The survey has a margin of error of +/-3.0% at the 95% confidence level.