TikTok Braces Up For Shutdown In US As Federal Ban Looms

TikTok is gearing up to shut down its app for United States users this Sunday if the Supreme Court does not intervene to block a planned federal ban, ‘The Information’ reported on Tuesday.

The move came as the social media giant faced mounting pressure under a law signed by President Joe Biden, requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US operations by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.

The shutdown, as planned by TikTok, would go beyond the requirements of the law, which mandated a ban only on new downloads from Apple (AAPL.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) app stores. Under the legislation, existing users would still have access to the platform for a limited time.

If the shutdown proceeds, users attempting to open the app will reportedly encounter a pop-up message directing them to a website with detailed information about the ban. Additionally, TikTok plans to offer users the option to download their personal data, ensuring they can retain a record of their information.

In a court filing in December, TikTok estimated that one-third of its 170 million American users would stop accessing the app if the ban lasted a month. The company and ByteDance argued that the law infringed upon the First Amendment, which protects against government restrictions on free speech. They are seeking a delay in the law’s implementation, asserting that it violates constitutional rights.

TikTok and ByteDance did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters regarding the report.

The impending ban marked a significant escalation in the U.S. government’s scrutiny of TikTok, as concerns over data privacy and national security continued to fuel bipartisan support for tougher measures against the platform.

For now, millions of US users are left in limbo, awaiting clarity on whether the app will indeed disappear from their devices this Sunday.