‘Not an easy ride’: Ban anxiety triggers TikTok execs to rethink their next moves

While they have not said publicly why they departed, the timing is hard to ignore — coming just days before the Supreme Court weighed in on a pivotal case that could determine the platform’s fate in the U.S. last week (Jan. 10). Neither Singh nor Bamberger responded to Digiday’s request for comment.

It’s yet another chapter in the ongoing saga of uncertainty surrounding TikTok. Unsurprisingly, some employees are feeling the strain, with many of them quietly considering their next moves.  

“I went on LinkedIn and saw there’s a lot more people from TikTok that have recently checked the ‘Open to work’ badge on their profiles,” said Kelly Herrick, founder of digital recruitment firm Searchlight. “It means that somebody has activated it more recently, so it made me think some of this is probably the result of what’s going on [with the ban].”

Granted, this observation doesn’t confirm a mass exodus from TikTok. But it does align with a broader narrative forming about the mindset of many TikTok executives who are navigating this unpredictable climate. 

“We have had inquiries from people interested in exiting TikTok over the last year but that number has been accelerating over the last few weeks,” said a U.S. recruiter who specializes in the creator economy. And while they didn’t give specifics, they did indicate that the number of inquiries is in the triple digit mark. 

Marketers, many of whom rely heavily on TiKTok, are already feeling the early blowback as the uncertainty sends tremors through their plans. 

A U.S. agency exec, who exchanged anonymity for candor, shared that the TikTok team members they speak to are increasingly nervous and hedging their bets in a way they did not see earlier in 2024. 

“Back then many of them were bullish on the platform’s future, almost boastfully so,” they said. “But one person I know already left for Google because she feels there’s more of a certain future over there.”

Another U.S. ad exec, concurred that they’ve seen account reps leave since the ban was mentioned, which naturally creates a downward friction of pain points and challenges working with the platform, due to lower staffing levels.

Until recently, these concerns seemed confined to certain parts of the business. In fact, those working on TikTok Shop felt relatively insulated — even after the bill that ratified the law signed in April 2024. Back then, TikTok’s e-commerce division was thriving, with the team growing it to over $100 million Gross Merchandising Value per day in 2024, according to a former TiKTok employee, who left the platform last summer.

“We were getting compensated far beyond industry standard for the roles we were in,” they added, though they didn’t share specifics. “People were hesitant to leave because the business was doing so well and the benefits and compensation were so good.”

But the former employee noted that aside from the ban, there was already growing dissatisfaction in other parts of the business, such as the content division, where layoffs had happened. 

“[TikTok COO] V Pappas leaving [in June 2023] led to this feeling among the staff that the U.S. was losing more of its power within the company,” they added. “And as the ban felt more real this time, I saw people looking to leave. It was partly why I left because the ban lit a fire under me to be more active about exploring and securing new, more secure opportunities.”

As uncertainty mounts, TikTok is proving that even a marquee name can’t guarantee stability or peace of mind. Over the last three years, the company has been plagued by reports of culture clashes, a toxic work environment, and a steady stream of staff departures — issues that have increasingly defined life at the app.

 As Searchlight’s Herrick noted, employees often describe TikTok to her as a challenging workplace. 

She added: “I know people who are super, super talented who worked there, then when I check back on them, they’re gone,” she said. “It’s not an easy ride. I knew a very talented seller who was over there [at TikTok] who left a couple of years ago, and I remember hearing from her how it was pretty relentless and not a good environment.”

These anecdotes echo what many marketers have told Digiday about their interactions with TikTok over the last two years. Meetings with the platform often involved a chaotic dynamic, marked by an overabundance of attendees — some of whom weren’t even introduced — and a general sense of disarray. One former TikTok employee likened the internal culture to “chickens running with their heads cut off”. 

Could it be equated to the usual life at a startup? Maybe. Except that TikTok is no longer a startup. And Digiday was often told by TikTok execs, that turnover was a normal part of the process for a company growing as quickly as TikTok was, and changing priorities. And sure, that’s a fair point — life at any rapidly scaling company comes with challenges. It’s still left a bitter aftertaste to some former TikTok employees. 

“I know execs who were fired without cause, then TikTok refused to pay their severance, and just kept the case in legal limbo for like a year or two just to drain those individuals.,” said the U.S. recruiter.

TikTok did not respond to Digiday’s request for comment.