What's next for TikTok now that the app might get banned?
TikTok’s U.S. users may have only a few weeks left to enjoy the app as a ban is set for January 19, 2025. A U.S. appeals court upheld a law mandating that TikTok be sold from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Failure to comply would result in a ban that affects more than 170 million American users.
If TikTok isn’t sold, app stores could face substantial fines for hosting it. Users who already have the app could experience issues due to the lack of updates, making the app potentially unusable. While this ruling suggests a high likelihood of a ban, it isn’t certain yet. TikTok plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, hoping to protect free speech rights.
“The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” a TikTok statement noted. TikTok insists it will not separate from ByteDance, stating, “The TikTok ban, unless stopped, will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.”
Options to avert the ban include potential support from President-elect Donald Trump, who could ask Congress to repeal the law or decide not to enforce it. Despite his prior attempts to ban TikTok, Trump recently expressed that he would “never ban TikTok.”
Uncertainty looms as the deadline approaches. TikTok may request a legal stay, delaying the ban while the Supreme Court reviews the case. The court is expected to expedite its decision before the ban deadline, but the outcome remains unpredictable. TikTok faces an uphill battle since the current Supreme Court is largely conservative, leaning toward seeing this as a national security issue.
Some TikTok users voice concerns over the potential ban’s impact on their livelihoods. “TikTok is a huge part of my income and my livelihood,” noted a content creator. Despite the threats, skepticism remains due to previous discussions about a ban. Another user expressed hope: “I still have my hopes that TikTok will not get banned in the United States but, currently, it doesn’t look good.”
However, some remain optimistic, believing the millions of U.S. businesses relying on TikTok will prevent a complete ban. “I do think that they’re going to force TikTok to do some things that they don’t want to do, but I don’t think it’s going to be completely banned.”