TikTok plans to shut down its U.S. operations on Sunday, impacting its 170 million American users unless the Supreme Court intervenes or a last-minute resolution is reached. According to a Reuters report, the shutdown stems from a federal ban requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its U.S. assets by January 19.
President Joe Biden signed the law mandating the ban last April, citing national security concerns. Despite calls from lawmakers, including a blocked Senate proposal to extend the deadline, TikTok’s future remains uncertain. The company has argued that the ban infringes on First Amendment rights and warned that service disruptions could also affect users in other countries due to reliance on U.S.-based service providers.
President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering delaying the enforcement of the ban for 60 to 90 days after taking office but has yet to confirm how this would be legally implemented.
If the ban takes effect, TikTok users will see a message redirecting them to information about the shutdown, with an option to download their data. The company has assured users it could restore services quickly if the ban is lifted.
The Supreme Court’s decision on whether to pause or uphold the law is expected in the coming days.
