TikTok influencers say 'everybody is going to take a big hit'

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In a luxury mansion in the Hollywood Hills, young TikTok influencers bounced around on a bright sunny morning this week trying out new ideas for zany short-form videos that they hope will go viral. They’re also feeling concerned about their future. Kids Next Door LA is one of a number of TikTok houses set up around the U.S. where teens live, sleep and brainstorm creative ideas for dance and music videos and seek deals with brands that can bring in millions of dollars for the top influencers.

But their livelihoods are now at risk from an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that will effectively ban the social media app if its Chinese parent ByteDance does not reach a deal to divest it by mid-September. “For two to five months, maybe, everybody is going to take a big hit. Everyone is going to lose a stream of revenue. I think it’s really stupid... what Trump is doing,” said Adam Miguest 27, known on TikTok as @itsadamm, who is one of the seven influencers at the house.