Washington, D.C. — TikTok is making preparations to shut down its platform for users in the United States this Sunday if the Supreme Court does not intervene to halt an impending federal ban.
According to a report by The Information on Tuesday, the move follows heightened pressure under a law signed by President Joe Biden. The legislation requires ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its U.S. operations by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.
Unlike the law’s mandate, which primarily targets new downloads through Apple and Google app stores, TikTok’s planned shutdown would restrict access entirely, affecting even existing users.
In the event of a shutdown, users attempting to open the app will reportedly be greeted with a pop-up notification redirecting them to a website containing details about the ban. TikTok also intends to provide users with an option to download and save their personal data.
TikTok revealed in a December court filing that if the ban lasts for a month, approximately one-third of its 170 million American users could stop accessing the platform. ByteDance and TikTok argue that the law violates the First Amendment, which protects against government-imposed restrictions on free speech. The companies are actively seeking a delay in implementing the law, asserting that it infringes upon constitutional rights.
Both TikTok and ByteDance declined to respond to requests for comment from Reuters regarding the report.
The looming ban underscores the U.S. government’s intensified scrutiny of TikTok, fueled by bipartisan concerns over data privacy and national security risks. This latest development represents a significant escalation in efforts to curtail the platform’s operations in the United States.
For now, millions of TikTok users across the country face uncertainty as they await clarity on whether the app will disappear from their devices this Sunday.
By Enoch Odesola | January 17, 2025
Discover more from DnewsInfo
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
