TikTok has been going through turmoil on American soil but its popularity has not faltered. NBC reports that the social media giant has reached 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. This comes from a senior Democratic strategist advising TikTok, according to whom, the company"s CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to reveal this internal data before Congress during his testimony on Thursday.
For reference, the last known reported figure is from three years ago when TikTok unveiled it has over 100 million active users in the U.S. So, there is almost a 50% increase from the old number since the time the Trump administration initiated efforts to ban the app.
The strategist also revealed that out of the 150 million, around 12 million users are below the age of 18. However, some of them will reach voting age by 2024. The 150 million count doesn"t include children who are below the age of 13 and the average age of a regular TikTok user is 31 years.
As per the report, some TikTok creators have plans to reach Washington ahead of the testimony to conduct a press conference and talk to lawmakers. TikTok is expected to strengthen its argument by bringing creators into the picture, stressing that banning the app could create financial troubles for numerous creators who rely on the platform for their bread and butter.
Not just the U.S., other government bodies have taken action against the social media app citing security concerns. It includes New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom where the app has been banned on government devices. Recently, the European Commission also ordered 32,000 of its employees to uninstall TikTok from their devices.
Source: NBC News