TikTok Faces Imminent US Shutdown Sunday Unless Supreme Court Intervenes
TikTok plans to cease operations in the United States starting Sunday unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the federal ban. The shutdown comes in response to legislation requiring Chinese-based ByteDance to divest its US assets or face a nationwide ban.
Starting January 19, new TikTok downloads will be blocked on Apple and Google app stores if ByteDance fails to sell to a US company. While existing users can continue using the app temporarily, they will eventually lose access to updates.
ByteDance's planned response includes:
- Displaying pop-up messages explaining the ban to users
- Providing options for users to download their personal data
- Creating an informational website about the situation
The ban stems from legislation signed by President Joe Biden in April requiring ByteDance to sell its US assets by January 19, 2025. While the Supreme Court appears likely to uphold the law, some lawmakers and President-elect Donald Trump have called for extending the deadline.
ByteDance and TikTok continue fighting the ban, arguing it violates First Amendment rights. However, courts have generally rejected these arguments. Sources indicate that if the ban is later reversed, TikTok could quickly restore service for US users.
TikTok logo against black background
The situation remains fluid as TikTok awaits potential last-minute intervention from the Supreme Court before Sunday's deadline.
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