Why some creators are stepping back from TikTok

As a result, influencers whose livelihoods depend on TikTok find it an unpredictable income channel, even when their content generates millions of views.

At the inaugural TikTok Awards in December 2025, concerns about censorship and platform control surfaced among creators. According to Variety, this uncertainty intensified after TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, announced a pending U.S. joint venture involving new investors, including Oracle. 

Several creators, such as Merrick Hanna (@merrickhanna, 32.8M followers, TikTok) and Golloria George (@golloria, 3.3M followers, TikTok), publicly questioned whether increased corporate and political oversight could affect content distribution, algorithmic visibility, and freedom of expression. Speaking on the red carpet, George said, “I hope it stays authentic and doesn’t censor creators for having a voice. The beauty of the platform is that people can get on TikTok and say what they want to say.”

Kolsquare data reinforces growing conversations around this issue. Based on Kolsquare monitoring of posts across TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube over the past three months, the words “demonetized” and “TikTok” appeared in captions and transcriptions of 54 separate pieces of content from 26 creators. The words “censorship” and “TikTok” appear in 256 pieces of content from 116 influencers. 

While some content clearly violates platform rules, a significant share comes from creators who believe their work is compliant. The content often centres around complex, real-world issues, similar to those Page covers, such as news reporting, the Israel–Palestine conflict, US politics, and activism. However, influencers across several niches are affected. 

Influencer Cassie (@mildhippietoo, 608K followers on TikTok) said the platform demonetised her snail care content following complaints about parts of the process shown in her videos. She later removed her most popular posts and stopped producing new snail-related content, shifting instead to personal updates that attract lower engagement. In the video below, she explains that she did not want to keep the content live if it could no longer earn revenue.

Monetisation and the Creator Fund as a key point of friction

Many successful influencers rely on TikTok as a primary source of income. When videos are demonetised or payout rates are reduced, earning potential can fall sharply, even for content that attracts high view counts and engagements.

According to Statista, a UK influencer with two to three years’ experience earned an average annual salary of £37,500. The figure suggests creator income can be significant, making sudden demonetisation disruptive.

Creator income is rarely fixed as earnings fluctuate based on views, engagement, and sponsorships. As one creator wrote in a Reddit thread discussing TikTok earnings: “They can certainly replace household income, but none of it is guaranteed. It’s not a steady paycheck. One wrong thing said, and you get cancelled, lose followers, etc. Scary to think about.”

According to Dylan Page, TikTok effectively collapsed his earnings, with his revenue per mille (RPM) dropping to around £0.01, meaning one million views would generate only £10. He stated that his videos cost more to make than they earn, despite consistently generating millions of views.

These dynamics explain why monetisation commands creator conversations about TikTok. The issue is that some creators can no longer reliably predict when, why, or whether that income will appear. This comes at a time when, according to the Kolsquare Creator Economy Report, influencers are already experiencing burnout linked to online harassment, content management, and financial pressure.

For creators like Page, whose largest audience remains on TikTok, this uncertainty has practical consequences. With 18M followers on TikTok, 2.7M on Instagram, and 1M on YouTube, he is increasingly reliant on posting across multiple platforms to maintain a stable income.

Why criticism is voiced on Instagram, not TikTok

When creators want to criticise TikTok’s moderation practices, they tend to do so on Instagram rather than on the platform itself.

Here are three practical reasons why influencers are critiquing TikTok on Instagram:

• Distribution safety: Criticising a platform on the platform itself carries risk. Instagram is seen as a safer channel for voicing dissent without triggering further suppression.
• Audience migration: These posts often perform well, allowing creators to actively redirect followers toward platforms where reach and monetisation feel more stable.
• Narrative control: On Instagram, creators retain clearer visibility into performance and feel less subject to sudden, unexplained distribution drops.

Some creators view Instagram as a more reliable distribution channel for critique that also removes the risk of criticising TikTok on-platform.  

What this means for brands and agencies

Brands and agencies must be aware of creator sentiment around TikTok and tailor their campaigns to mitigate any risks. TikTok remains a powerful channel in the UK and EU. But creator sentiment and platform restrictions matter. 

When a creator’s video is restricted, removed, or marked ineligible after publication, campaigns can change overnight. Brands must prepare for restrictions and take note of emerging TikTok trends during campaign planning. 

Run multi-platform strategies to lower risk

Creators with active audiences across multiple platforms are better positioned to maintain delivery when TikTok distribution falters.

For brands, this reduces risk, especially when campaigns have fixed timelines, such as those linked to a product launch. Multi-platform creator partnerships can generate strong results, even when one channel underperforms.

H3: Create contracts that reflect platform volatility

Creator contracts should act as your company’s protection mechanism. They need to account for distribution and monetisation risk at the platform level.

Include the following clauses:

• content takedowns or post-publication restrictions
• sudden changes to monetisation eligibility
• platform-related disruption that affects reach or delivery

Clear contractual frameworks reduce uncertainty when content is affected by factors outside the creator’s control.

Assess content risk before you send the brief

Many creators affected by moderation shifts operate in areas such as news, activism, or social commentary. These categories are more likely to trigger restrictions. However, like Page, the creator may still be reputable. 

Working with activists or issue-led creators may involve higher platform volatility. It can also offer credibility and relevance that safer content does not. A risk assessment will help you anticipate potential problems and respond in ways that enhance your brand message. 

For example, an eco-beauty brand might partner with a creator who reports on the impact of climate change in the UK. If related content faces reduced distribution on TikTok, the campaign can be adapted for other platforms where the creator’s audience remains accessible, preserving both reach and message integrity.

A signal, not an exodus

This moment does not point to creators abandoning TikTok en masse. It does, however, highlight growing uncertainty around the platform that is shaping how creators publish and monetise content.

For marketers and agencies, TikTok remains central to influencer strategy, but campaigns increasingly require contingency planning to account for sudden changes in reach, eligibility, or payout.