Charlie D'Amelio talks about the TikTok ban as a leading influencer

Influencer Charlie D'Amelioone of TikTok's most prominent stars, reached out to fans with a light-hearted message after the platform went offline in the United States on January 18.

D'Amelio's journey began in 2019 when she published her first post TikToklip sync video with friend. Her popularity skyrocketed after she shared a video of the duet with another TikTok user later that year.

By 2020, Charli D'Amelio became the first person to reach 100 million followers on the platform and is now worth around $45 million.

Taking to Instagram, where she has 42 million followers, D'Amelio posted a short video addressing the TikTok ban: “Hey scrolls, how are we doing?” Smiling, she began to say, “We're here,” before the video cut off.

The caption was simple but resounding: “Hey.” She also shared the video as a Facebook reel where she has more than 2 million followers.

Charlie's father, Mark D'Amelio, has been a defender of TikTok, calling the ban “un-American” and a violation of free speech. “It is so un-American for our government to ban something that has been such an important part of the average American's life — a platform for free speech and protection of our First Amendment rights,” he said. The Times.

Mark later expressed concern about the potential long-term impact on his daughters' careers and the millions of users who rely on TikTok for community, expression and livelihood.

D'Amelio joined TikTok in mid-2019 and quickly gained attention for his dance routines.

Her first viral video included the dance “Renegade”, which helped popularize the routine and made her one of the top dancers on TikTok. Her success also came at the right time, as TikTok's algorithm favored engaging short videos, which her dance videos were perfect for.

She made history in November 2020 when she became the first TikTok creator to reach 100 million followers, cementing her status as one of the platform's most prominent stars.

Besides TikTok, she explored other creative avenues such as music, releasing her debut single 'If You Ask Me To' in 2022. She also won the 31st season of Dancing with the Stars.

Charlie and her family capitalized on their collective fame with “The D'Amelio Show” on Hulu, offering a behind-the-scenes look at their lives. According to the Economic Times, D'Amelio is the second most popular TikTok influencer with 155.8 million followers, behind Senegalese-Italian creator Khabane Lame, who has 162 million.

TikTok became unavailable to US users on Saturday night, just hours before the law banning the platform took effect. When users tried to access the app, they were greeted with a pop-up message that said, “A law has been passed to ban TikTok.”

The development follows a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that upheld the ban and rejected a free speech challenge by TikTok. The company then issued a statement confirming its plans to make the app unavailable to US users by the specified deadline.

The ban comes from legislation signed by President Joe Biden in April, demanding that TikTok relinquish its Chinese ownership and sell to a US-based company. Failure to do so will result in the app being terminated in the US. However, the Biden administration indicated that enforcement of the ban would be managed by the new Trump administration.

The president-elect Donald Trump addressed the situation during a telephone interview with NBC News meets the press moderator Kristen Welker on Saturday. He suggested that TikTok could get a 90-day reprieve from the potential ban, saying it would “likely” take that step.

The ban has sparked widespread mourning among American TikTok users who have come to rely on the platform as a cornerstone of internet culture. For millions, TikTok was more than just an entertainment app, it was also a place for creativity, community and cultural exchange. The sudden shutdown has left many users uncertain about the future of their online presence and the connections made through the platform.

While the US government considers a possible ban, D'Amelios and millions of TikTok users await a Supreme Court decision that could set a precedent for the platform's role in American digital culture and freedom of expression.