Viral TikTok sensation Alix Earle has filmed herself having a teary-eyed breakdown over the possibility of the app shutting down.
Earle, 24, rose to fame through her TikTok videos, which she started making while in college at The University of Miami.
Known for her ‘get ready with me videos’ and relatable vlog-style content, the starlet has amassed 7.2 million followers on the platform – but she took to the social media platform in tears over the thought of the nationwide blackout on Sunday.
The app that propelled her to fame is now at risk of being banned in the United States, following a ruling from the Supreme Court just days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office for his second term.
‘I can’t sleep, I’m so freaked out about this,’ a watery-eyed Earle told the camera. ‘I’m just so sad, just thinking like all of the memories just going away.
‘I love you guys so much and I just feel like I need to just check in with you guys right now.’
The Gen-Z queen bee also shared her sorrow over losing an app where she had cultivated such a devoted fan base.
‘I’m freaking out because I’m like where am I gonna scroll, it’s so much fun talking to everyone on here,’ she said.
Viral TikTok sensation Alix Earle breaks down in tears over the possibility of the app shutting down.
Earle, 24, rose to fame through her TikTok videos, which she started making while in college at The University of Miami
‘As much as I love posting stuff, I love consuming it as well.’
She lamented: ‘Guys this is not okay, someone’s going to have to check me into a mental hospital. What the heck is going on? Can we all just like hang out?’
‘This is going to be the worst day ever,’ she added.
Earle, who now boasts 10.8 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, is said to earn between $40,000 and $70,000 for brand partnerships.
Forbes reports that the influential star made $8 million from her social media presence in 2024.
TikTok has also opened doors for her to explore other media ventures, including launching the Hot Mess Podcast and introducing her soda brand, Poppi.
Earle isn’t the only social media behemoth who’s going to mourn the platform.
Charli D’Amelio, who boasts an enormous TikTok following of 156.2 million, rose to fame virtually overnight in 2019.
Known for her ‘get ready with me videos’ and relatable vlog-style content, the starlet has amassed 7.2 million followers on the platform
The competitive dancer from Connecticut became the second most-followed person on the app, with sponsorship deals reportedly earning her six figures per post.
The Supreme Court made its decision on Friday, following TikTok’s argument that the law banning the app, unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance sells its stake, violates users’ First Amendment rights.
‘We conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights,’ the court stated, affirming an appeals court ruling.
Last year, Congress passed a law mandating the sale of TikTok or its ban by January 19, 2025, citing national security concerns about the app collecting Americans’ data.
But with no deal in place before the deadline, the ban remains imminent.
The decision came less than an hour after Trump revealed a conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping about TikTok, vowing the two leaders would work together to ‘solve many problems.’
Earlier, TikTok, along with some users and creators, filed lawsuits to block the ban, but their efforts were rejected by lower courts, forcing them to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Court heard arguments on January 10, signaling it would not intervene in the ban set to take effect on Sunday.
TikTok has roughly 170 million users in the U.S. The ban is set to go into effect on January 19
In its decision on Friday, the Court noted that the law’s provisions were content-neutral, targeting a foreign adversary’s control of a platform, rather than targeting specific speech.
Some 170 million Americans use the video app, and some warned that banning the Chinese-owned app would disrupt the business and livelihoods of millions of Americans.
The future of TikTok now hinges on how the incoming Trump administration responds, as CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to be honored alongside other tech leaders at President-elect Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
Shortly after the decision, Trump told CNN that the fate of TikTok ‘ultimately goes up to me, so you’re going to see what I’m going to do.’
‘Congress has given me the decision, so I’ll be making the decision,’ Trump said, though he did not provide further details.
Later, in a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that the decision would be respected, emphasizing that ‘everyone must respect it.’
‘My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation,’ he added.
In response, TikTok’s CEO shared a video message on the platform, thanking Trump directly and stressing that they were fighting ‘to protect the constitutional right to free speech.’
Protesters outside the Supreme Court as it heard oral arguments on the TikTok ban January 10
‘On behalf of everyone at TikTok and all our users across the country, I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to working with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States,’ Chew said.
‘This is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship,’ Chew added.
He said TikTok is ‘grateful and pleased to have the support of a president who truly understands our platform.’
Before their decision, Trump asked the Supreme Court to delay enforcing the ban and mulled an executive order to delay it.
It’s not exactly clear what the app will look like when users go to use it after it’s banned on Sunday.