With just days left until a Jan. 19 deadline for TikTok parent ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets or otherwise accept a ban on the app in the country, some 170 million U.S. users are wondering about the fate of the super-popular app. Urgent questions were raised. Video platform.
The Supreme Court has now heard arguments against a law signed by President Biden last spring that was upheld by a lower court ruling last month to protect U.S. social media users from the Chinese government and protect their personal data. ByteDance, based in Beijing, acquired the app Musical.ly in 2017 and merged it into TikTok. Critics of the Biden administration's crackdown on the foreign company say it is an attack on free speech and the livelihoods of content creators, while the Justice Department continues to paint TikTok as a national security risk.
The Supreme Court currently appears inclined to adopt the latter view and uphold the lower court's ruling, leaving ByteDance in a difficult position without the likes of President-elect Donald Trump or billionaire Elon Musk at the end A moment sealed a deal of sorts.
Extremely high. The Supreme Court heard arguments from TikTok challenging the law on Friday, and all signs point to the justices siding with the government — just as the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously did last month. If the Supreme Court rules that the law is constitutional, the ban will almost certainly go into effect on Sunday, January 19. There's a slim chance the Supreme Court will uphold the ban and give Trump a chance to use the power. There's a slim chance the president will keep TikTok alive. There's a greater chance ByteDance will somehow sell TikTok to a U.S. entity by Sunday. Less likely, but much more likely that a judge will uphold the law. TikTok saw the writing on the wall and was reportedly preparing to shut down its U.S. operations on Sunday.
Simply put, because they don't want to. TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has repeatedly said it has no interest in selling. TikTok accounts for only a small part of ByteDance's business, and despite its popularity in the United States, the platform doesn't even make money for the company. ByteDance appears ready to kill TikTok entirely rather than abandon the valuable algorithm that powers it. There is interest in buying the platform, which has no secret sauce, notably billionaire Frank McCourt, and multiple media outlets reported this week that China is considering selling it to Elon Musk — but as the ban deadline approaches, both outcomes feel like moonshots.
The most immediate impact of the ban going into effect will be the removal of the TikTok app from Apple and Google's app stores, meaning Americans will effectively no longer be able to download or update it. You also won't be able to access TikTok through a web browser, as internet providers (just like Apple and Google) face stiff fines under the new law for facilitating access to TikTok or its updates. (However, you can view TikTok on a browser with the help of a virtual private network, or VPN, which masks your location.)
While it's not illegal to keep TikTok on your phone or tablet, it doesn't appear that people who have previously installed it on their devices will retain access. Sources said the company plans to shut down for US users, just as India did for Indian users when it banned the app in 2020. Most likely, if you try to open TikTok, you will see a message saying that the service is in use. is not available and directs you to information about the ban. Users will also reportedly have the option to download their personal data. If the ban is lifted at some point, TikTok should be able to restore access quickly and easily.
TikTok has nearly 170 million active users in the United States, the company said. An app cannot gain this kind of dedicated user base unless it gives consumers a reason to turn on the platform and then stay there for as long as possible. TikTok’s infinite scroll provides a siren song for regular users, encouraging them to keep swiping for more content. There's no end to the app's "for-you" pages, and ByteDance's goal has long been to keep TikTok users engaged by serving them video after video that appeals to their unique interests. This is one of the reasons why if TikTok was sold without an algorithm, the chances of the app functioning effectively would be very slim.
Another aspect of TikTok’s success is its in-app video editor. In fact, this may become the successor to the app. TikTok’s platform democratizes social media and video platforms by simplifying editing operations. Creators can shoot video and edit it from their iPhone without any extended editing knowledge. Think of videos trending on Facebook, Instagram or even X (formerly Twitter). They all have the TikTok watermark at the bottom. Why? Because creators still use the app for editing. Even if TikTok disappears, whichever platform makes it easier to post will likely see the greatest user growth.
Over the past five years, TikTok has been the music industry's most important marketing tool, with many of today's biggest songs launching from viral trends as songs appear repeatedly in hundreds of thousands of videos. TikTok has changed the way record labels discover new artists and push new songs, while also giving independent artists a platform to share their music. TikTok's disappearance will create obstacles, especially for unsigned or upcoming performers who rely on the app to promote their work or build a following.
Still, this isn't the first time the music industry has braced for a TikTok shutdown. While the app remains the birthplace of many new hits, some executives have said in recent years that TikTok has become so saturated with content compared to its early days that getting a viral hit can be as much like winning the lottery as on any other platform . Some artists and labels say they have tried to diversify and avoid overreliance on a single platform, although rivals like Reels or YouTube Shorts have yet to prove they can break songs at the same rate as TikTok. But if the app disappears, a new short-form platform may take its place.
"It doesn't stop with going viral but it can be a great launching pad for a career and I don't know what will happen but I hope if it doesn't exist anymore we'll see someone step up and take them market,” manager Chris Anokut told rolling stones Back in 2023, a ban seemed likely at the time.
TikTok employs thousands of people in the United States, but the app appears to be preparing for a U.S. ban, according to an internal memo reviewed by TikTok Rolling Stone, The company has assured employees that their jobs are not currently under threat.
"As U.S. employees, your employment, wages and benefits are safe and our offices will remain open, even if this situation is not resolved by the January 19 deadline," TikTok said to its U.S. team. "The bill The way it is written does not impact the entity you are employed by, only the user experience in the United States. We are part of a global company with over a billion users. We will work together to continue to respond to this situation and protect you and our 170 million. A community of many American users.”