Sarah Fitzgerald’s custom printing company, “Fuzzy Loon Designs,” exploded in popularity two years ago after she posted a TikTok video that went viral, amassing more than 10 million views and bringing her a boatload of new customers.

With the looming government-ordered ban on TikTok that could shut the platform down this weekend, Fitzgerald says she is worried for the future of small Minnesota businesses like hers which have grown largely by attracting new followers on the app.

“If it goes away, growing and continuing to sustain our current process is going to be really difficult,” said Fitzgerald, the co-owner and founder of her business in Waite Park.

Barring an 11th-hour decision from the Supreme Court, TikTok will be banned nationwide on Sunday. The ban was prompted by Congress’ concerns that the Chinese government could influence American TikTok users or misuse their data because the app is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

But in interviews, several small business owners and popular Minnesotan users said getting rid of TikTok will do more harm than good and limit their ability to connect with the nearby community. Whereas Facebook and Instagram often guide users to videos that have high production value and no ties to the viewer’s local area, TikTok will frequently recommend videos from regular people with no professional background in creating social media content and show videos that are popular in a viewer’s area.

“Just the relatability and the realness of TikTok is what I don’t want to lose,” said Charlene Clifford, who runs a candle business in Rush City called Crazy Candle Lady that has 89,000 followers on TikTok. “I’ve heard people joking about how they’re trying to switch to Instagram reels, and it’s so bad over there.”

While some popular TikTok users, or “influencers,” have just as large a following on alternative apps, others will be losing their main source of viewership. In preparation for the app’s possible demise, local TikToker Aubrey Regner said she has focused more on posting on Instagram over the last year. Regner gained a local following after she moved to the Twin Cities from Florida in 2023, using TikTok to document her travels and experiences as someone new to Minnesota.

“Hopefully people transition somewhere else and find me again,” said Regner, who has roughly 84,000 followers for her account “onlyaubss.”

Fitzgerald has similarly been working to build up her following on other platforms, and has maintained an email list for customers. Still, Fitzgerald estimates that about three-quarters of her customers found her business on TikTok, where she has 320,000 followers.

“I have to worry, because it’s a big way that we reach all of our customers,” she said.

Popular Twin Cities TikTok videos often include reviews of local restaurants, lifestyle experiences and explorations of Minnesota’s natural areas. Regner said TikTok was an important avenue for her to find real-life friends.

“It was a huge resource to connect me to new things in the Twin Cities, as well as, like, people,” she said. “I’ve met some incredible people from the app, and for me, it’s never really been about the money or the views or anything like that.”

Many TikTok users are holding out hope that the ban could be avoided by Sunday. According to Christopher Terry, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota who teaches courses about internet law, it’s unlikely the Supreme Court will change course and stop the ban from taking place Sunday.

“I am very skeptical that they will not allow the law to go into effect,” Terry said.

There is some hope, however, that the app could be un-banned once President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, told Fox News on Wednesday that the incoming president wants to explore ways to “preserve” TikTok.

Although Terry said he doesn’t care whether or not TikTok exists, he is concerned about the precedent its ban could mean for protecting freedom of speech across the internet.

In a 1997 Supreme Court case that pitted Attorney General Janet Reno against the American Civil Liberties Union, the Court ruled in favor of protecting online freedom of speech, and said it was unconstitutional for Congress to regulate pornographic material. If courts continue to take down social media platforms, Terry said he fears it could lead to websites being shut down by the government as well.

“We are on the precipice,” Terry said. “We have already dodged a couple of bullets in a row at the Supreme Court on internet free speech.”