This is just a tiny glimpse of the data available to CivicScience clients. Discover more data.
TikTok has had an eventful week. A law effectively banning the app in the U.S. took effect following a failed last-ditch effort for Supreme Court intervention. However, its service was restored just 14 hours later through an executive order by freshly inaugurated President Donald Trump. The ban and its subsequent (and potentially temporary) reversal are significant, as TikTok serves as both a business hub and a cultural touchstone for its 170 million American users.
CivicScience data highlights the remarkable growth of TikTok over the past five years. In mid-2019, only 5% of respondents reported having tried the app, while 60% had never even heard of it. By late last year, nearly 40% of respondents had used the platform, and 94% were aware of its existence. These numbers increase among Gen Z – half of U.S. adults 18-24 use TikTok daily.

Join the Conversation: How frequently do you use TikTok?
Weeks before the ban, TikTok users were scrambling for a replacement app or turning to other apps such as Facebook and YouTube. Recently, RedNote, one of China’s most popular social media platforms, entered the radar of TikTok users, who promptly began flocking to the platform, perhaps in protest of the imminent ban. By the time the brief TikTok ban went into effect, 35% of Gen Z adults aged 18-24 and 45% of regular TikTok users said they had tried RedNote.

When TikTok was restored following Trump’s promise of action, returning users saw a statement thanking then-President-elect Trump for pausing the ban. According to new CivicScience data, more than one-third of Gen Z adults (36%) and TikTok users (35%) say Trump’s action to delay the ban has caused them to view the Trump administration more favorably. While 32% of Democrats say the restoration hurt their perception of the new administration, another 19% say they view the president more favorably due to TikTok’s return.Â

Answer our Poll: Do you think TikTok should or should not be banned in the US?
While the future of TikTok is up in the air as figures like Elon Musk and MrBeast are looking to save the app, it’s clear how much influence the app has on Americans today, from their political views to their social media habits. As a result, marketers will want to closely monitor how the latest TikTok advancements are impacting Americans today.Â