Michael Ilesanmi from 90 Day Fiancé Responds to TikTok Ban as His Influencer Aspirations Become More Distant

Michael Ilesanmi, a familiar face from 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?, has recently voiced his thoughts on the TikTok ban in the United States through an Instagram Story. Having relocated to America with his American spouse, Angela Deem, on a spousal visa in December 2023, Michael’s relationship has been tumultuous due to past trust issues, notably stemming from his earlier infidelities. Angela, concerned about the implications of social media on their relationship, notably restricted Michael’s access to such platforms. Despite these challenges, he resumed his social media presence in May 2024, a mere two months after a brief separation from Angela.

In the months that followed, Michael embarked on a journey to leverage his reality television experience into a successful influencer career. However, the unexpected ban of TikTok in the United States, effective January 19, 2025, now poses significant hurdles in his quest for online stardom.

This TikTok ban could hinder Michael’s aspirations as he aims to build a following in the digital landscape. In just a short time, he managed to amass over 230,000 followers and create more than 40 engaging videos on TikTok, emphasizing his dedication to content creation. Nevertheless, Michael remains upbeat, responding to the ban with a lighthearted message, stating, “Insta & Facebook what’s up,” complemented by an expressive image of a crying man.

Michael Ilesanmi 90 Day Fiancé Happily Ever After Instagram Story TikTok ban

Impact of the TikTok Ban on Michael’s Career

Michael’s Journey to Influencer Status

For the past seven years, Michael has struggled to find a stable, full-time job, primarily due to Angela’s reservations about him being socially active, which she associated with potential infidelity. Angela has been his primary financial support through the earnings they gained from their time on television. However, Michael’s ambition to transform his reality TV fame into a prominent online presence led him to various social media platforms post-separation. At one time, he even requested $5,000 from Angela to delete his Instagram account, showcasing the complexities of their relationship.

Sadly, the TikTok ban disrupts Michael’s recent endeavors. Over the past year, he successfully piggybacked off his reality fame to attract nearly 230k followers and achieve close to one million views on TikTok by sharing dance and lip-sync videos, which were aspects he genuinely enjoyed. While he expresses some disappointment regarding the platform’s ban, his overall reaction suggests a readiness to adapt and pivot his focus toward remaining platforms like Instagram and Facebook, where he aims to continue building his online presence without dwelling on the setbacks.

Michael’s Future in the Influencer Space

The Road Ahead for Michael

Montage of 90 Day Fiancé's Michael Ilesanmi looking upset with money behind him — Image by Cesar García

While Michael may appear to take the TikTok ban in stride, there’s a hint of disappointment as he had recently begun curating content specifically for his TikTok audience and was generating income through the platform. Achieving influencer status on TikTok was a significant objective for him, hence this ban indeed presents barriers to his future success. Moving forward, Michael may need to explore fresh strategies to avoid potential revenue loss on other social media fronts.

In conclusion, despite the challenges posed by the social media landscape, the 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? star seems poised to navigate his influencer career with resilience. As he creates new content on alternative platforms, fans will be watching closely to see his evolution as a creator.

Catch new episodes of 90 Day: The Last Resort, airing Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on TLC.

Source: Michael Ilesanmi on Instagram

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