The United States has been riding its own wave of drama, and the TikTok debacle is stealing the spotlight. The short-form video app owned by a Chinese company ByteDance became unavailable in the United States after the new law prohibited the company’s applications. This sudden shift didn’t just hit influencers hard—it also left sports stars like Madisen Skinner scrambling, as TikTok had been her go-to for sharing volleyball highlights and everyday moments.

Just as it seemed like the TikTok chapter might close for good, Donald Trump, freshly sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, brought a surprising twist. Trump issued an executive order that granted TikTok a 75-day period within which it should distance itself from its Chinese owner or risk being banned fully. And, in the middle of all this TikTok chaos, the temporary ban has pushed Madisen Skinner to a whole new content creation curve, which is a new beginning in her social media life!

Madisen Skinner takes a bold step!

Madisen Skinner decided to switch things up and took to Instagram on January 21 to share a post that had everyone buzzing. Her caption read, “I usually post long-form content like this on my TikTok but with the ban scare I figured why not start crossposting more often😅 anywayss here is my in-depth hair journey!🤎 (The rest of the vid is on my TikTok @madisenskinner:))”

Okay, so what was the big secret in the video? It was all about her hair glow-up! She took us through her fabulous hair journey from the time she got her hair colored to her current sleek, straightened hair for a campaign. It was equal parts nostalgic and chic, and honestly, we couldn’t get enough of her styling secrets. Looks like the TikTok-to-Instagram switch is already working its magic for Madisen!

The TikTok ban has stirred up quite the storm, and athletes like Madisen Skinner aren’t the only ones feeling the heat. Before the blackout hit, volleyball stars Ally Batenhorst and Lexi Rodriguez managed to squeeze in one last farewell post on the app that helped them soar online. Batenhorst kept it short and sweet, opting to let Miley Cyrus do the talking—or rather, the singing. Lip-syncing to Always Remember You, she added the caption, “Why am I in denial? There’s no way it’s actually getting banned fr,” as if clinging to one last sliver of hope.

However, Lexi Rodriguez was all about being grateful, writing, “It’s been a fun ride on this app!!! Thankful for all the support everyone has given me…” in her goodbye TikTok. Batenhorst, who’s already eyeing Instagram and Snapchat to fill the TikTok-shaped void, hasn’t fully decided which app will take center stage. For now, it looks like she will continue to use platforms that she has already established herself in. As for the impact of this ban? I’ll just say that it is creating waves, probably globally, more so for those that have created supportive communities for athletes on the TikTok platform!

Athletes face the blow of the ban!

TikTok has become a target in the U.S., and the ban is causing a stir in the sports industry and beyond. While the big leagues—ESPN and Overtime, for instance—appear poised to change gear, buoyed by pre-TikTok fan bases and steady posting across Instagram and X, the creators and the casual fans are left hanging. While for women athletes like Livvy Dunne or Angel Reese, who managed to become powerful personalities on TikTok, the loss has a different taste. With its high engagement level and ability to reach fans, the app was a real gem, and it’s not as easy to recreate that elsewhere as it might seem.

Take rugby phenom Ilona Maher, for instance. Her meteoric rise wouldn’t have been possible without TikTok’s golden algorithm, but luckily, she’s spread her wings across other platforms, proving she’s not tied to one stage, just like how Madisen Skinner is doing now. But Gen Z sports fans are also preparing for the worst. Out of them, 86% use social media to consume sports content, and 49% come across new sports through TikTok; losing that algorithmic sorcery means a lot fewer things showing up in their feeds.

Yeah, sure, there’s Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts now, but do they bring the same chaotic charm that TikTok’s algorithm offers? That algorithm was like the guide to the hidden treasures and introduced fans of casual sports to some new specific sport or athlete. It is not a loss that appears to be a giant one at that; however, for the fans and athletes, the sports world is certainly becoming a little less shiny.