How the TikTok Ban Is Forcing Creators To Pivot (Or Not)

Montana just became the first American state to ban TikTok after its legislature voted to give final approval to a bill nixing the social media app’s presence within its borders.

Britain’s Got Talent fans were left divided on Saturday night’s debut return of the popular talent show, as TikTok sensation Jane Mckenna failed to impress veteran judge Simon Cowell with her performance.The 64 year old social media star, performed a unique movement routine, where she impersonated images that were flashed on screen, including everything from a stapler through to a brioche bun! The quirky act went down a treat with members of the studio audience, but sadly it failed to impress Simon, who felt it was too niche for the show, and sadly refused to put Jane through to the next round - although he did thank her for coming out to audition. Fans at home were left divided by the result, as many viewers at home were loving the performance - and couldn’t understand why Simon wasn’t impressed by the unique and tongue-in-cheek act.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are promoting their new film “Air,” telling the story of Nike’s Air Jordans. The film follows a Nike executive that lands a Michael Jordan endorsement, boosting the young athlete’s career and creating a product that revolutionized the sports market. In an interview, Affleck and Damon discussed the first time they met Jordan, with Jordan and Affleck entering a challenge of who was tallest.

told CBS.TikTok is already banned on Montana government devices.In March, TikTok hired Zenia Mucha, Disney’s former head of corporate communications, as an adviser as the company faces a possible national ban. He joined former Barack Obama aides David Plouffe and Jim Messina, who have also been hired to fight the possible ban.American lawmakers have expressed growing concern about the company’s access to user data and how that information could be used against American individuals or institutions.

The ban on TikTok is continuing on, with Montana being the first state to take action against the app.

signed into law in 2021.However, Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, saying they would have granted Morrisey’s request.A federal judge previously blocked the law from taking effect while a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the ban proceeds.The plaintiff in the case, 12-year-old Becky Pepper-Jackson, is a transgender girl who tried to join her middle school girls’ cross-country team, but was informed that she would be barred from the team due to the law prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in female-designated sports.Pepper-Jackson sued state officials, her local school board, the West Virginia Board of Education, and the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and discriminatory.In July 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Goodwin, of the Southern District of West Virginia, issued an injunction blocking the law from taking effect on the grounds that Pepper-Jackson was likely to prevail in her claim that the law is discriminatory.Six months later, Goodwin rejected Pepper-Jackson’s claim that the law violates Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination, finding the ban constitutional and asserting that the state had a legitimate interest in ensuring cisgender female athletes are not disadvantaged by having to compete against athletes assigned male at birth.

Mary Harron has tackled all sorts of difficult subjects over her nearly thirty-year career. Audiences may know her best for her 2000 adaptation of Brad Easton Ellis‘ “American Psycho” with Christian Bale.

on the “American Idol” winner’s daytime talk show. Damon then explained how he set up a super-intense group in which players compete in Wordle, Quordle and Octordle, before combining their scores.“So there’s Octordle, which is the eight words, and then Quordle, which is the four words, and then Wordle, which is the one. So we play all three and you add up your score,” the “Bourne Identity” actor enthused.

Disney’s former head of communications Zenia Mucha is advising TikTok as the beleagued company fights calls to shut it down in the U.S. on security concerns, Deadline has confirmed. It’s already banned across the Federal government with President Biden recently ramping up demands that the global app’s Chinese parent sell the U.S. business to a company Stateside, or see it vanish.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Mucha, along with David Plouffe and Jim Messina, two prominent allies of former president Barack Obama, are working with the Chinese company in its efforts to fight a proposed ban of the video sharing app.TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew last week tried to convince members of the the House Energy and Commerce Committee that the addictive app he claims is now used by more than 150 million Americans has some separation from its China-based parent company, ByteDance.Lawmakers fear that the parent company, which includes Chinese government officials on its board, can access TikTok user data and might also use the platform’s algorithms to influence its content filtering. Congress, the White House and various regulators have suggested a ban or attempts to force ByteDance to sell the app.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Zenia Mucha, formerly Disney’s top spokesperson for almost two decades, was recruited to be part of the team that coached TikTok’s CEO for his congressional hearing earlier this month, according to a new report. In addition to Mucha, TikTok tapped former Obama advisers David Plouffe and Jim Messina to prep Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, for more than a month before Chew’s March 23 appearance before the House Energy and Commerce Committee — which observers said only reinforced anti-TikTok attitudes among both Republican and Democratic lawmakers concerned about the app’s Chinese ownership by parent company ByteDance. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mucha could not be reached for comment.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor About half of Americans are in favor of the U.S. government banning TikTok, the hugely popular video app owned by China-based internet giant ByteDance. Amid intensifying scrutiny of and antagonism toward TikTok, a newly released survey by Pew Research Center found that 50% of Americans support a U.S. government ban on the app, with 22% opposed and a sizable share (28%) unsure, according to a newly released survey conducted by Pew Research Center. Among those who actually use TikTok, just 19% support a ban. Given TikTok’s popularity among teens, it’s worth noting that Pew’s survey was fielded among U.S. adults (those 18 and older). Americans who are aware that TikTok is owned by the ByteDance are particularly likely to support banning it: About 60% of those surveyed who know TikTok’s parent company is based in China support the U.S. government banning the app, compared with 27% of those who are unaware of TikTok’s Chinese ties, according to the Pew survey.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The odds of the U.S. banning TikTok are higher after the app’s CEO testified before a House committee, according to some analysts. During the hearing, American politicians expressed frustration over what they saw as evasive and unconvincing answers about China’s influence over TikTok — and the communist regime’s ability to track user data — as well as its efforts to curb misinformation and harmful content, particularly in relation to children who use the app. In his D.C. appearance Thursday, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said the popular app, used by more than 150 million American users monthly, as committed to ensuring privacy and security. He insisted, as TikTok has claimed before, that the company has never furnished U.S. user data to the Chinese Communist Party (nor has the CCP ever made such a request). Chew talked up TikTok’s “Project Texas,” intended to bring user data fully under the aegis of U.S.-based personnel and hosted on Oracle infrastructure.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor In front of a panel of skeptical and often hostile U.S. representatives, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew tried to make the case for why the popular app is not a security threat to the country — and why a government ban of the app would be the wrong course of action. A U.S. ban of the app would hurt the country’s economy, reduce competition and “silence the voices of over 150 million Americans,” Chew said in testimony submitted to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The hearing, titled “TikTok: How Congress Can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms,” was held Thursday morning in Washington, D.C. The Biden administration recently demanded that ByteDance divest its ownership stake in TikTok or potentially be banned in the U.S. over national-security concerns given TikTok’s Chinese ownership. Under pending congressional legislation, which has bipartisan support, President Biden would have the authority to ban TikTok under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Ben Shephard was jokingly warned to 'get it right' as he spoke to Larry Lamb about his recent Gavin and Stacey reunion. The actor appeared on Good Morning Britain on Thursday (March 23) as he shows his support for Marie Curie's latest campaign following the death of his brother.

Thania Garcia Ana Bárbara, otherwise known as “Grupera Queen,” received her flowers as a BMI Icon at the 30th annual BMI Latin Awards held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on March 21. The singer — whose blended style of rancheras, norteño and Latin pop helped to define the grupero genre — became the first regional Mexican songwriter to receive the accolade for her musical career which spans over 30 years of chart-topping hits like “Bandido” and “Lo Busqué,” which dominated radio across Mexico and the United States. It was a big night for música Mexicana as Edgar Barrera, one of the most sought-after songwriters and producers of the last few years, was given the first-ever Impact award for his award-winning contributions across genres like contemporary Latin and regional Mexican. Throughout the night, he returned to the stage to accept over 10 trophies as the most recognized songwriter at this year’s ceremony. (He was also the top-nominated act at last year’s Latin Grammys.)

Ben Gibbard has spoken to NME about 2023 marking key 20th anniversaries for both Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service – as well as plans for upcoming tours and celebrations.This week saw Death Cab kick off their UK tour in support of their acclaimed 2022 album ‘Asphalt Meadows’. Later this year, Gibbard will be hitting the road in the US for a double headline tour in which The Postal Service will celebrate 20 years of their cult classic ‘Give Up’ while DCFC will mark two decades of their 2003 breakthrough album ‘Transatlanticism’ – with both records being played in full each night.Looking back on the influential synth-pop gem ‘Give Up’, NME asked Gibbard if he felt at the time like he was making an important record that we’d still be talking about 20 years later .“Of course not, but what if I said I did?” he jokingly replied.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor TikTok, trying to fend off potential U.S. government ban over security fears related to the app’s Chinese ownership, is touting new figures reflecting how pervasive and popular it is in America. TikTok announced that as of February 2023, the short-form video app has more than 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. In addition, it said, it has almost 7,000 employees in the United States. And it also claims that TikTok “has evolved into the preferred platform” for nearly 5 million American businesses, most of which are small and midsize companies. “We’re honored to be a home for our immensely diverse community in the United States, made up of nearly half the country’s population, including book lovers, foodies, families, emerging artists and so much more,” the company said in the announcement.

Ben Affleck meets up with Matt Damon and Viola Davis for a promo stop at ABC Studios in New York City on Monday (March 20).

Ben Howard has announced a 26-date live run which will take place across the UK, Ireland and Europe.The tour will kick off at La Riviera in Madrid on May 18, with two nights in Amsterdam in June and a stop at the Philarmonie de Paris on July 4. This marks the musician’s first European run in five years.Following dates in Europe, Howard will head to Glasgow’s SWG3 on July 21, with a sold out date at Alexandra Palace Park, London on July 22.