Erik Roberts films a TikTok video, his phone capturing the details of a refurbished home perched on a hill in Gary, as a hip-hop beat pulses in the background. Over the past three years, the real estate agent-turned-influencer has built a following by showcasing the city’s potential, connecting first-time buyers to affordable homes, and reshaping perceptions of Gary — one clip at a time.
But with TikTok’s future in limbo, Roberts fears the lifeline he’s built for his business — and the city — could be severed. Roberts is one of several Gary-based creators grappling with the unresolved TikTok ban, leaving local businesses and influencers scrambling to figure out their next steps.
The uncertainty stems from recent political back-and-forth over TikTok’s legality. Former President Joe Biden signed a law last year, which passed overwhelmingly in Congress, requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app or face a nationwide ban. The law cited national security concerns that the Chinese government could use the app to spread propaganda or collect U.S. user data.
Over the weekend, TikTok temporarily went dark for United States’ users. By Monday, President Donald Trump had signed an executive order delaying enforcement of the ban by 75 days, giving the app a lifeline. But its long-term future remains uncertain.
Business influencers like Roberts say the ban threatens not only their income streams, but also the connections they’ve built with followers who see their content as a fresh perspective on life in Gary. While some are exploring other platforms, they worry that the potential loss of TikTok could disrupt the city’s growing social media presence and economic opportunities tied to digital influence.
“I picked Gary on purpose because I want people to be aware of the opportunity that’s here,” Roberts said, adding that he’s using TikTok to change people’s perceptions of the city.
He is the face behind Rap & Real Estate, his TikTok page where he shares insight into the real estate and home buying market, refurbished homes around Gary and Northwest Indiana, and his music. Through his dedication, Roberts gained thousands of followers and attracted more than 170,000 views on his videos.
The Chicago native got his real estate license in 2020 after looking for a career change. Wanting to impact predominantly Black communities like Gary and St. Louis, he got licensed in Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri to broaden the scope of what people know about the city.
TikTok has opened doors for him to connect with people in Gary and outside the city.
“It’s an opportunity for me to educate them about not just the city, but real estate in general: the housing market, interest rates, and where the market is today,” Roberts said.
“People outside the city are also unaware,” he said, adding that TikTok give him the platform to bridge that gap.
Having spent years in the real estate industry, Roberts has learned different methods to meet people, from posting on listing websites, creating billboards, and placing signs in front of homes. But he says social media, with its free and far-reaching platform, has helped people in the industry promote themselves and their business.
“I think it’s essential for real estate professionals to really distinguish themselves and get their name out there for people to see what they got to offer besides the homes themselves,” Roberts said.
He’s been able to do that with TikTok, as it lets him interact with potential buyers through comments and videos about the city’s growth. For Roberts, his casual style isn’t just a personal choice — it’s a way to break down barriers for first-time buyers. In his videos, he is dressed in T-shirts and hoodies instead of a suit and tie to relate to people, especially first-time buyers who are nervous about the buying process or don’t know where to start the process. It’s all about being transparent and approachable, he states.
According to Roberts, many of the houses on his profile aren’t his, but those of other Realtors in the area. He helps out for free with videos. Real estate is an already competitive industry, but he wants to help anyone, especially those trying to highlight the good in the city.
“I look at it like it helps all of us, no matter who’s listing it,” he stated gleefully. “It helps everybody to know that a house like this exists here.”
Like Roberts, Nova Carmichael worries about the connections she made and the economic impact it will have on her.
Carmichael, the face of NWI Eats, uses her platform to blog about restaurants, food trucks, and other foodie places around the region.
“I try to put a special highlight on Gary through media because that’s something we’ve lacked,” she said. At almost 15,000 followers and over 160,000 likes, she’s spent a lot of time growing the community she’s a part of.
Some of her videos have included tips on getting to Chicago O’Hare International Airport cheaply by riding the South Shore train line, learning about Gary’s spring water system, and highlighting the region’s restaurants.
As both a chef and a media professional, she enjoys using her platform to bring Gary’s community into the spotlight. But the prospect of a TikTok ban has left her disheartened.
“You could wake up and see what’s going on in Uganda or wake up to find out about Gary, Indiana, a place nobody’s even about,” she said. “It brought a big community, and now it’s just leaving.”
Like many TikTok creators, Carmichael is worried about the financial impact, as she earns money from her videos. Like Roberts, she’s thought about transitioning to YouTube or focusing more on Facebook and Instagram to share her content.
“People get on Facebook to find local things and see who does this or that,” she said. “Because it’s so local, I think that could benefit me as I could get paid directly from the business versus relying on the app to pay me.
The Gary Facebook community is large, with breaking news, events, and recommendations for exploring the region as significant parts of their founding.
“It’s about being ahead of the curb and figuring out where they’re going to go, and then if you’re going there with them,” she said, following where viewers are migrating.
Despite her contingency plans, Carmichael worries about the broader impact of the TikTok ban on the city.
“TikTok getting banned does affect the city and businesses,” she said. “I just think that now the business owners will have to take media more seriously and tap in with these creators.”
