Danisha Carter, 27, is in a similar spot. A resident of Los Angeles, Carter has been a full-time creator since 2021, posting social commentary and lifestyle videos. Although she'd known about the TikTok ban for months, she said she had a wake-up call in the middle of the night in November.

"I need to start taking this seriously before I lose access to the platform that I built and the followers that I built," Carter said, recalling her panicked realization. "I need to not waste any more time."

Carter, who previously worked in luxury retail, has ended her TikTok videos by telling her followers that they can find her on YouTube, Instagram and Patreon.