(The Economic Collapse Blog)—What happens when millions of TikTok influencers scream in horror all at once? On Wednesday, the worst fears of TikTok addicts were realized when the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would ban the distribution of TikTok in the U.S. if ByteDance does not sell its shares to someone else. If this bill becomes law, it is not certain that there is a U.S. buyer that would be willing to purchase those shares, and it is not certain that the Chinese government would be willing to allow ByteDance to sell those shares.
So the fate of the platform is very much up in the air. 170 million Americans have accounts on TikTok, and 7 million small businesses use the platform. Needless to say, there are vast hordes of young people that are extremely upset about what Congress is trying to do, and lots of them will be voting in November.
It was apparent that this bill had a tremendous amount of support, but I was surprised that so many lawmakers from both parties ended up voting for it…
The House on Wednesday passed legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S. if its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance doesn’t sell its stake in the massively popular social media platform.
The vote was 352 in favor and 65 opposed, underscoring its broad bipartisan support, with 197 Republicans and 155 Democrats voting to approve it. Fifteen Republicans and 50 Democrats voted against the bill. One Democrat voted “present.”
If you have not read the bill yet, you can find it right here. Prior to the vote, TikTok users absolutely flooded Congress with phone calls, but that didn’t work. So now countless TikTok influencers are completely freaking out because the future of their favorite platform is very much in doubt…
Describing herself as a ‘panicked influencer’ in a video with almost 250K likes, one creator said: ‘We might have to part our ways and say farewell tomorrow because what the actual freak?’
Others noted the rare efficiency that Congress showed in passing the legislation, with one TikTok user saying it stands out compared to the ‘months and months to even get aid to people when there’s a hurricane.’
‘Somehow the gremlins in Congress just really got together and finally agreed on something.’
Another prominent influencer boldly proclaimed that “THIS is going to be the reason why I hate the federal government”…
‘When I’m old an miserable and telling my grandkids about all the reasons why I hate the world, THIS is going to be the reason why I hate the federal government,’ another influencer fumed.
According to CNN, if this bill actually becomes law TikTok will disappear from app stores in the U.S. if ByteDance chooses not to divest…
If enacted, the bill would give TikTok roughly five months to separate from ByteDance, or else app stores in the United States would be prohibited from hosting the app on their platforms.
App stores that violate the legislation could be fined based on the number of users of a banned app. The bill establishes fines of $5,000 per user of a banned app. So, in the case of TikTok, Apple and Google could potentially be on the hook for up to $850 billion in fines each.
It’s unclear if ByteDance would agree to sell or spin-off TikTok. If it did, the company could struggle to find an American buyer willing to shell out, despite the app’s popularity.
TikTok is worth an estimated $100 billion, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives. And many major US tech companies already face fierce regulatory scrutiny that could prevent them from making such a major acquisition.
But of course even if TikTok was banned from app stores that would definitely not kill the platform.
The 170 million users that have already downloaded the app would still be able to use it, and new users would likely be able to download it using a VPN…
If TikTok were banned in the U.S., the hundred million plus users who have already downloaded the app would still likely be able to access it. New users would also potentially be able to download it using a virtual private network, or VPN.
Even with the app’s removal from app stores and experts expect that TikTok’s resourceful U.S. fans would still find ways to continue using it.
And at this point it is very unclear whether this bill will be able to get through the U.S. Senate…
The TikTok’s bill in the Senate is uncertain, as the Senate is unlikely to pass the bill as is.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said, “I think it’s more than likely that we will take up their bill and amend it and say we’ve come up with some areas where we think it needs improvement. My concern is that if you try to deal with this by name, you’re playing a game of Whack a Mole, because what’s TikTok today, next week it’s TokTik or TicTak or whatever.”
“We do things slowly over here, and this takes time,” he added.
Indeed, the Senate’s 60-vote threshold requires consensus to pass legislation.
Joe Biden has said that he will sign the bill if it eventually gets through the Senate.
But would he really want to alienate millions of young voters just before the presidential election in November?
Donald Trump seems to realize what will be better for his political future, and so he has come out against banning TikTok…
Former President Donald Trump came out against the app’s ban.
“If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“I don’t want Facebook, who cheated in the last Election, doing better. They are a true Enemy of the People!” the 45th president said.
I think that Trump makes a legitimate point.
Without a doubt, TikTok is doing a tremendous amount of damage.
For a long time, TikTok has been promoting very harmful content. And for a long time, TikTok has been suppressing content that many of us would consider to be good.
TikTok clearly has an agenda, and they are using their power to shape how our young people think. But of course the exact same things could be said about other social media platforms.
It could be argued that Facebook has had a far greater impact on our culture than TikTok has, but nobody is talking about banning Facebook. Collectively, the major social media companies are transforming our culture in ways that we have never seen before.
Let me give you an example of what I am talking about. According to a brand new Gallup survey that was just released, 22.3 percent of all Gen Zers now identify as LGBTQ+…
More than one in five Gen Z adults identified as LGBTQ+ in 2023, having more than doubled over less than a decade.
Of the 22.3 percent of Gen Zers identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, more than 15 percent identified as bisexual, according to polling results from Gallup.
Pollsters reported that, overall, each younger generation is about twice as likely as the last to identify as LGBTQ+. Compared to the rate of Gen Z adults, far fewer millennials – one in 10 – say they belong to the LGBTQ+ community.
In the entire history of our country, we have never seen a shift of this magnitude.
At this point, nearly 30 percent of Gen Z women now identify as LGBTQ+…
“Almost 30% of Gen Z women identify as LGBTQ+, most as bisexual,” Jeffrey Jones, a senior editor at Gallup, told NBC News. “That’s where a lot of the growth seems to be happening.”
This is the first year Gallup has laid out its annual LGBTQ identification report in a way that breaks down each generation by gender. Looking at all generations, 8.5% of women and 4.7% of men identified as LGBTQ, the survey found.
If you ban TikTok, that is barely going to do anything to stop the cultural tsunami that we are witnessing.
For many of our politicians, the reason why TikTok is such a big deal is because it is controlled by China.
This just shows how much things have changed.
For many years, I have been warning my readers that China is our enemy. A decade ago, most people thought that was absurd. Over and over again I would be told that “China is our friend” and that a war with the Chinese would never happen.
But now most of our politicians clearly believe that China is our enemy. If they considered China to be a friend, there is no way that they would be trying to ban TikTok.
Relations between the United States and China are rapidly deteriorating, and it won’t be too long before they reach a breaking point.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.