When Brandon Hurst first decided to sell his plants on TikTok Live in 2023, the 32-year-old Sylmar resident didn’t know what to expect. He said he thought he could sell at least 30 plants, but instead sold 250.
Now, three years later, the internet creator, who goes by Brandon the Plant Guy, sells up to 5,000 plants a week, works out of a 3,000-square-foot greenhouse in Sylmar and has a staff of 13. He credits much of this success to the exposure he’s received on TikTok.
“I’d be out of business if it wasn’t for TikTok,” said Hurst. “I would have ended the business and gone back to working the desk job that I was working prior. I was already on that path, that was where we were headed. And then TikTok really did turn that around.”
Hurst is one of the 920,000 California-based businesses using the social media platform to reach new customers and grow their brands, according to new data from consulting firm PF Global.
In 2025, TikTok helped generate $12 billion in advertising and merchandise sales for those businesses and supported 52,000 jobs in the state, said the PF Global report, which was commissioned by TikTok.
Nationwide, economic activity on TikTok last year helped contribute $81 billion to some 8.5 million U.S. businesses, the report said.
The surge in activity reflects a growing trend toward online commerce, as more small businesses and consumers turn to social media platforms like TikTok to buy and sell goods.
“We enable American culture, American creators, American businesses, to reach an audience around the world,” said Nicole Mason, TikTok’s head of U.S. public policy, said during a presentation on Wednesday morning.
The new report comes as TikTok is increasingly eager to tout its economic impact as a newly formed U.S. joint venture. In January, the company was taken over by three managing investors: Silver Lake, Oracle and Emirati investment firm MGX, each holding 15%, with ByteDance retaining 19.9% of investments. This transition came after TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, was under pressure to divest its ownership in the app’s U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban, due to security concerns.
Last month, TikTok also settled a $400-million lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice, ending a 2024 lawsuit alleging the company violated federal children’s privacy laws.
TikTok, which operates its U.S. headquarters in Culver City, where it employs several hundred workers, is mostly known for its viral, short-form vertical videos. But, over the years, the platform has become a hub of curated viral content and a central part of many businesses’ marketing strategies.
The app also has features like TikTok Live, where businesses can host live shopping events, and TikTok Shop, which serves as a direct-to-consumer online marketplace.
For its study, PF Global surveyed more than 11,000 adults in the U.S. and 5,000 businesses. The firm also conducted five case studies with U.S. small businesses and TikTok creators and interviewed over 600 people around the country. The data set combined that survey data with government statistics, industry research and TikTok’s own internal data.
PF Global recently published a similar economic report for the U.K. and is working on reports for 10 other European countries with TikTok.
Neil Ross, a partner at PF Global, said a common global theme is that TikTok users are more likely to see something on the platform and go out and do it.
“People around the world are using it as a kind of digital front door to work out where to go, what to shop, what experiences to have,” Ross said.
The U.S. report states that 27 million Americans “visited an independent shop, cafe or restaurant for the first time after seeing it on the platform.”
The app’s roots date to 2014, when an app called Musical.ly was launched in Shanghai. In 2016, Chinese tech company ByteDance launched a similar platform in China called Douyin.
As the apps grew in popularity, ByteDance picked up on their potential. It purchased Musical.ly in 2017 and combined all these platforms into one, named TikTok. Over the next few years, the app began its rapid ascent, hooking in users with a curated algorithm and viral trends. Today, 200 million Americans use TikTok every month, according to PF Global.
“On a daily basis, TikTok powers real economic impact across the United States, helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses, reach new customers, and create jobs across the country,” said Adam Presser, TikTok’s chief executive in a statement.
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images News
A housekeeper has shared the one item she always removes from a hotel room after checking in (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
You check in, drop your bags, and collapse onto what appears to be an immaculate, freshly-made bed. But beneath the perfectly plumped pillows and crisp white sheets, it might not actually be as clean as it looks.
Regardless of how much guests splash out on their hotel room, most will have one non-negotiable expectation – the room has been spotlessly cleaned since the previous guest checked out. From fresh bed sheets to a sparkling bathroom, a housekeeper’s workload can be gruelling. But guests have been left stunned to discover that some everyday hotel room items are virtually never washed – including a common item on the beds.
Taking to TikTok, a housekeeping manager named Margarita left her followers shocked after posting a video demonstrating the very first thing she does upon arriving at a hotel room during her own personal stays.
“POV: You’re a Housekeeping Manager staying at a hotel,” read the on-screen text, as two women were filmed standing inside a hotel room.
Armed with tissues in each hand, the pair proceeded to remove the bed runner from the foot of the bed, placing it on the luggage rack well away from where they’d be sleeping. One of the women couldn’t disguise her look of revulsion as they carried out the task.
Numerous hotel housekeepers have previously revealed that bed runners are rarely laundered, unlike the rest of the bed linen, which is washed thoroughly after every guest checks out.
Experts have previously voiced their concerns about bed runners, explaining that their purpose is to catch dirt, shoe scuffs, and germs from luggage, bags, and outdoor clothing placed at the foot of the bed.
Because it serves as a dedicated barrier against outside grime, it can accumulate dust and microscopic dirt left behind by previous guests staying in the room.
Margarita was far from alone in her views, as the comments section quickly filled up with others sharing that they always do exactly the same thing, with one person questioning: “I mean, why aren’t they washed after every guest?”
Another argued: “If it’s a hassle to clean or replace they just shouldn’t have them in the rooms. I don’t need decorative pillows or bed runners.”
A third person added: “Should be a law that all decorative décor like pillows or bed runners need to be washed after each guest or just not provided.”
The charming village has a magical history, as the most famous witch used to live there (stock image)(Image: Thomas Faull via Getty Images)
The highly anticipated sequel to the cult classic film Practical Magic recently premiered in cinemas. But while it’s always magical to return to the universe of your favourite film, what if you could visit a real life Practical Magic village?
In the book and the film, the Massachusetts small town where the Owens family lives appears to be the idyllic small town. And with the added element of having witches living there, many fans dream of visiting. But one village in the UK also has a unique connection to witches, making it the perfect alternative.
One holidaymaker named Emma decided to share snippets of her visit to the Hampshire village, naming it a ‘real life Practical Magic village’.
“POV: You found a real life Practical Magic village in England,” she wrote in the overlay text of the TikTok video, showing the various witchcraft and magic-inspired shops, as well as the wild horses that are known to explore the village of Burley.
Burley is a small village in Hampshire, located in the heart of the New Forest. It’s famous for its associations with witchcraft, as it had a self-proclaimed witch living there in the 1950s. However, there is plenty of other things to do there with an opportunity for walking, cycling, and horse-riding trails, plus horse-drawn carriage rides through the forest.
Emma added in the caption of the post: “Today, the village is filled with cosy cafes, witchy boutiques, and wild horses roaming down the streets.”
The village still maintains the ancient New Forest tradition of “commoning,” meaning ponies, cattle, and donkeys wander freely through the streets.
“It genuinely feels like stepping straight into the Owens family hometown,” she said. “Gather your coven and save this for your next UK day trip.”
Burley is associated with witches primarily because it was home to a woman named Sybil Leek. The famous self-proclaimed “white witch” lived in the Hampshire village during the 1950s.
She became a media sensation by openly practicing witchcraft shortly after the UK repealed the final Witchcraft Act in 1951. She regularly walked through the village wearing a long black cloak with her pet jackdaw, Mr. Hotfoot Jackson, perched on her shoulder.
But as locals were upset by her presence, Sybil decided to move to America where she continued to study and write about the occult and astrology.
Burley has since embraced its witchy history, as there are several shops specialising in magic, including A Coven of Witches, which was not only named by Sybil but you can also find a portrait of her hanging above the fireplace.
MONTANA Brown has left her fans baffled AGAIN after she fumed over being unable to get her son an EpiPen – despite having no diagnosis for him.
The Love Island star, 31, often ruffles the feathers of fellow parents with her social media videos, and today was no different.
Speaking in her latest TikTok video, Montana began: “Guys, I’m about to have a rant, so beware.
“I went to the GP last week because basically Jude had this really random skin reaction, it was an allergic reaction, but we hadn’t actually given him any food.
“So I was like, This is weird,’ like his eyes were like swelling out of his head. I was like, He’s definitely allergic to something, but not sure what it is because we haven’t given him any food?
“So I went to the GP to basically say, ‘Look, I’ve got a nut allergy. You can see that on my records. I have anaphylaxis, so I’m worried that he’s now developed an allergy to something that I’m not quite sure what it is yet.
“I’d like to get two kids’ EpiPens so that I can be prepared if he does have a worse reaction to whatever it is. Like in the meantime, like before we figure out, you know, get him allergy tested.”
Continuing her story, the reality star said: “Guess what they said? ‘No’.
“I was like, ‘Why? It’s just so painful.’ Like, I understand that there is a process to these things. But to me, I’m like, what am I going to do with an EpiPen apart from be safe with it?’
“Like, what are the dangers of me having an EpiPen? And I’m like, am I going to have to try and get an EpiPen off the deep dark web?
“Is that what this is coming to? I’m trying to safely protect my child in case he has an anaphylactic shock in my care to buy him enough time to get him to hospital. Like, is it me? Is it me?”
However, fans couldn’t believe what they were hearing, with one said: “They can’t just give you a medication without a diagnosis.”
A second shared: “Are you actually for real?”
A third added: “She’s is honestly on another planet!”
This isn’t the first time Montana has ruffled the feathers of fans.
The mum-of-two recently left her fans fuming after revealing the “privileged” reason why she didn’t plan to send her son to school.
And earlier this year a comment she made about food pouches in stores being “c***” for children left busy mothers who saw them as a convenient option feeling patronised.
THEY were the cool Brit pop duo that broke onto the music scene in 2007 with a number one album and chart-topping smash hit.
And almost two decades later, the husband-and-wife pair are still releasing new music – though their look is worlds away from their noughties heydey.
The Ting Tings, comprised of married couple Katie White and Jules De Martino have taken to TikTok to share a clip of them singing their brand new song Home.
In the video, rock chick turned boho babe Katie can be seen showing off her impressive vocals, while hubby Jules plays guitar.
They look world’s away from their earlier rock and roll vibe with Katie in particular then known for her heavy eye make-up and platinum blonde Debbie Harry-esque locks.
They wrote over their new video: “Hey, we’re Katie & Jules from a band called The Ting Tings and you might remember us from our song That’s Not My Name.
“This is us, 18 years on singing Home from our latest album with our daughter. A lot has changed since 2008.”
The caption read: “18 years & 5 albums later… we are back in the studio, song writing and working on our 6th record.”
The iconic band made a shock comeback to the music industry back in January 2024.
In a cute video posted to Instagram, they added the caption: “Where have we been? Here, making the record of our lives. Get ready. J K x”
The scenes showed a blonde-haired toddler strolling around, leading one fan to quiz: “Is that a baby Ting Ting?”
During a chat with the BBC in 2022, they confirmed their happy news – with the tot dubbed “mini Ting” aged one at the time.
Katie admitted: “We never particularly spoke about it.
“We always wanted to keep it quite separate from the music, but it’s quite hard when you have literally a mini person.
“We’ve been together a long time now.”
The Salford-based duo formed in 2007, with their debut album We Started Nothing topping the UK charts just a year later.
Their iconic track That’s Not My Name became a huge success and has been streamed more than 1.1million times.
The group then fine-tuned their material in New York, yet a tour scheduled for three years later was scrapped after Katie suffered a hand injury.
Following their comeback, they went on to release their fifth album Home and are now gearing up for their sixth offering.
RIYADH: TikTok has taken down 15,519,240 videos across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Morocco, Lebanon and Sudan during the first quarter for Community Guidelines violations.
The move reflects the scale of the platform’s enforcement efforts and its focus on maintaining safety and accountability across the Middle East and North Africa region, a statement said.
As part of its broader efforts to promote age-appropriate and “authentic experiences” on the platform, TikTok removed 86,288,705 fake accounts and 25,764,372 accounts suspected of belonging to users under the age of 13 globally during the first quarter of 2026.
“These actions reflect the scale of TikTok’s efforts to identify and remove accounts that may not meet its platform requirements, while strengthening safeguards for younger members of its community,” TikTok said.
“Through a combination of automated detection, account-level enforcement, and human review, TikTok continues to reinforce the systems designed to support a safer and more age-appropriate experience.”
Globally, the platform suspended more than 50 million LIVE sessions from January to March, an 18.6 percent increase from the previous quarter. A further 58 million sessions were subject to demonetization or warnings, while 21,966,667 LIVE creators were also demonetized or warned.
Across the eight MENA markets, TikTok said it proactively interrupted millions of livestreams and banned hundreds of thousands of LIVE hosts for violating its guidelines.
In Saudi Arabia, TikTok removed 2,811,302 videos in Q1 2026, with a proactive removal rate of 98.2 percent and 92.8 percent of violative content taken down within 24 hours of being reported. The platform restored 150,916 videos following successful appeals, and also banned 48,106 LIVE hosts while interrupting 371,758 livestreams.
Iraq recorded the highest removal volume in the region. TikTok removed 5,253,566 videos that violated its Community Guidelines during the quarter, with a proactive removal rate of 99.4 percent and 95 percent of violative videos taken down within 24 hours of being reported.
TIKTOK star Max Balegde broke down in tears as he confirmed he has split from his boyfriend of five years.
The Sun revealed this week that the influencer, 27, and his boyfriend Andrew Spann have now called time on their relationship.
And things appeared to have not ended amicably as they both unfollowed each other on Instagram.
Max has now broken his silence on the shock split and admitted he’s “losing the plot” and feels “devastated”.
An emotional Max took to social media with a new video as he explained his side of the story.
With tears in his eyes, the content creator started: “Hello everyone, I’m just making this video to let you know that sadly it is true that me and Andrew have broken up after five and a half years of being together.
“We broke up around two weeks ago and obviously it’s been a really sad and tough time.
“There’s been so much love between the two of us, between our family and friends over those years.
“When you’re with someone for that long, your life becomes so intrinsically bonded together and you can’t imagine not having them in your life to be honest with you. That’s kind of how it gets.
“So I’ve been struggling a lot. I am in Ibiza right now, I’ve been here for a week.
“But the narrative online that I’m just partying and don’t give one and he’s all sad, could not be further from the truth.”
Max explained that he had this holiday booked months ago and when the break-up happened, he decided to go to Ibiza with his friends instead of “sobbing alone in his room”.
He shared that he’s been looking after himself and going to the gym and has avoided going out and boozing much.
“I’ve just been spending time with lovely supportive friends who have just been a godsend,” he continued.
Max then addressed the reason behind the split and admitted it was him who decided to end it.
“I know everyone will want an explanation because we shared so much of our relationship with you lot,” he said.
“All I’ll say is I chose to end the relationship for personal reasons that I don’t really want to discuss on the internet and out of respect for Andrew.
“There is so much love there, it’s not hate. It’s just you can’t get everything you need from someone, you have to sometimes face reality and it’s sad and devastating.”
Max admitted he was “losing the plot” as he copes with the new adjustment.
“I’ve never had a break-up like this before, I’ve never experienced anything like this, I don’t know how to navigate it, all I know is I’ve spent a lot of time focusing and looking after a lot of people but now it’s time to focus and look after myself.
“As scary as this is, I’m excited for the future, even though I can’t feel that excitement right now.
“I just feel sad, scared, anxious and depressed.
“But I have a lot of exciting work stuff I want to delve into, time with my friends and family and value the time with myself. I’ve been around people for five and a half years non-stop, I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be by myself.
“That’s terrifying, I’m genuinely terrified.”
Max said he was going to focus on his career and himself going forward.
He added: “If it looks like I’m losing the plot, then it’s because I am, I f***ing am.
“I’m terrified to go home tomorrow but I have to face reality at some point.
“I’ve got to find out where I’m going to end up living, what’s going to happen to our dog.
He then hid his face and said: “I’m going to cry again.”
The media star then thanked his fans for their support and said he was heartbroken as he felt he had “failed” his fans, especially those in the LGBT community.
Max captioned the post: “Please respect both of us, I still have so much love for Andrew and this is a really hard time for us both. thank you for the love.”
His followers raced to show their support for the star.
One wrote: “Sending you so much love… the end of a relationship when you still care for the person is so hard however put all that love into yourself now and everything will fall into place.”
A second said: “This is a very mature way to handle it. You should hold your head up & remember you are so loved.”
Earlier this week, The Sun announced news of the split.
A source told The Sun: “Max and Andrew broke up a few weeks ago and it’s been incredibly tough for both given how long they were together.
“Max is enjoying some time in Ibiza and will be ploughing ahead with work as he navigates the situation.”
Max, who has been on Gogglebox alongside his podcast co-host George Clarke, has been sharing what he’s been up to in Ibiza on his Instagram.
He shared a video of him miming to Ingrid Michaelson’s song Be OK while standing out on his balcony with a huge bottle of water.
The star can be seen wearing a T-shirt with the words ‘Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to Ibiza’.
The two started dating back in 2021 after they matched on dating app Hinge.
Max and Andrew celebrated their five year anniversary back in April.
Andrew shared a selection of snaps from throughout their relationship with the caption: “Half a decade of us, no biggie.”
