TikTok will go “off” on Sunday for its 170 million American users after the Supreme Court upheld a law that would ban the app that same day in the United States.
In April, President Joe Biden signed a law requiring TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, to sell the popular social media platform to an American company or face closure amid fears that China’s involvement poses a threat. to national security.
TikTok said in a statement Friday that it “will be forced to go dark” on Jan. 19 unless the Biden Administration gives more definitive assurances before the scheduled ban.
So what will happen on Sunday and what does it mean for TikTok and its American users? Here’s everything we know.
What will happen to the TikTok application?
Noel Francisco, a lawyer for TikTok, told the Supreme Court on Friday that, in his understanding, the app would essentially shut down if it were shut down.
A person with knowledge of the company’s planning told NBC News this week that shutting down the app was a last resort. The Information reported Tuesday, before the Supreme Court decision, that the app could be disabled rather than allowing people who already use it to continue using it.
In Friday’s statement, TikTok attempted to pressure the Biden administration to provide more details about the outgoing president’s plans for the scheduled ban.
But the White House had said in a statement Friday that the Biden administration believes “that actions to implement the law” should be left to President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on Monday. The White House, however, made clear that Biden believes the platform should operate under American ownership.
The Justice Department also issued a statement Friday saying it welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the law.
TikTok, which launched in the US in 2018, said both statements “failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to service providers who are essential to keeping TikTok available to more than 170 million Americans.”
He said it would be shut down “unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers and ensure non-compliance.”
In a statement updated Saturday, the White House dismissed the TikTok threat as a “stunt.”
“We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take action in the coming days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday,” the White House said. “We have stated our position clearly and directly: Actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. Therefore, TikTok and other companies should address any concerns with them.”
Why is TikTok banned?
There are concerns that the video-sharing platform poses a potential national security risk due to China’s involvement in the app.
On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld the law and rejected TikTok’s argument that a ban would violate the Constitution’s First Amendment free speech. In its ruling, the court said the reasons for enacting the law are “decidedly content-independent,” meaning they have nothing to do with restricting certain speech.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said the court’s decision allows “the Department of Justice to prevent the Chinese government from using TikTok as a weapon to undermine the national security of the United States.”
“Authoritarian regimes should not have unfettered access to millions of Americans’ sensitive data,” Garland said in a statement.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the court’s decision “focuses on protecting Americans, not restricting free speech.”
What are TikTok users and creators doing?
Many TikTok creators have been directing their followers to other platforms they are already on, including YouTube and Instagram.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, announced on Saturday that users could upload reels up to three minutes long. Previously, the app only allowed reels of up to 90 seconds, but made the change after receiving feedback from creators who wanted to share longer videos.
One of the attractions of TikTok is that it allows users the option to create shorter and longer videos.
“We hope that increasing that limit to three minutes will help you tell the stories you really want to tell,” Mosseri said in a video message.
In October, YouTube announced that people could post YouTube shorts up to 3 minutes long, saying it was one of the top “features requested by creators.”
Other Chinese-owned apps have gained popularity. Singer-songwriter Jaylah Hickmon, known by the stage name Doechii, let her 2.5 million TikTok followers know that they could find her on the RedNote app, which allows users to post short videos and upload images.
The app, however, is owned by Shanghai-based Xingyin Information Technology, and experts and government insiders fear it poses a greater threat to national security and privacy than TikTok.
TikTok has also been pushing its sister app Lemon8, which allows users to upload photos and videos. The app, owned by ByteDance, instructs users to log in with their TikTok accounts and asks them to follow people they followed on TikTok who have accounts on Lemon8.
Users will then select their interests and what they would like to see before being taken to the main feed where they can scroll through videos and photos.
Could President Trump stop the ban?
The final decision on TikTok’s fate appears to be in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump.
Although Trump tried unsuccessfully to ban the platform during his first term, he has since changed his mind. During his 2024 campaign, Trump joined the app, saying in a video posted in June, “I’m going to save TikTok.”
He issued a vague statement on Truth Social on Friday, saying “everyone must respect” the Supreme Court’s decision. But in a phone call Saturday with NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” Trump said he will “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday and meet with other tech executives. In a video on Friday, Chew thanked Trump “for his commitment to working with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States.”
Could TikTok still be sold?
Yes, TikTok could still be sold, but ByteDance has repeatedly said it does not plan to sell it.
There have been some serious offers to buy it, including from billionaire businessman and real estate magnate Frank McCourt.
McCourt and his Internet advocacy group, Project Liberty, announced Jan. 9 that they have submitted a proposal to purchase the site. “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary also joined the effort.
Former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said last year that he was forming a group of investors to buy TikTok, CNBC reported.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as well as entrepreneur and YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, known online as MrBeast, have also expressed interest in purchasing the app.
