If TikTok does go dark on Jan. 19, here’s what it will look like.
There has been ongoing discussion regarding a potential ban on TikTok in the United States for quite some time, leaving the app’s massive user base of around 170 million individuals uncertain about what lies ahead for their beloved platform.
Is a ban actually going to happen? Are U.S. lawmakers even allowed to do that?
Congress passed a TikTok ban law that President Joe Biden signed back in April. Now, it’s in the hands of the Supreme Court.
Two big things have to happen for the ban to take effect:
- TikTok has to miss its Jan. 19 deadline to split from its parent company, Chinese-owned ByteDance.
- The Supreme Court has to reject TikTok’s free speech argument.
If these two things happen and the Supreme Court decides to uphold the law, TikTok will be required to “go dark” on Jan. 19, 2025.
What exactly does that mean? We broke it down for you.
Will TikTok be deleted from my phone?
If the legislation is implemented on Jan. 19, TikTok will no longer be available for download on Apple and Google’s app stores. Additionally, the app will be inaccessible on computers. While new users won’t have the option to install the app, existing users who have it on their devices can continue using it.
TikTok also won’t be able to issue any updates or bug fixes, so over time, the app will become unusable.
What’s the problem with TikTok?
It all comes down to national security concerns.
The primary concern driving the proposed ban revolves around fears of national security risks associated with the app’s ties to China. Chief Justice John Roberts recently highlighted that the critical issue at hand is ByteDance’s obligation to collaborate with the intelligence activities of the Chinese government.
U.S. officials have argued that data collected by TikTok, like information on viewing habits, could land in the hands of the Chinese government. There are also concerns that TikTok’s algorithm is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities who could, in theory, promote certain content on the platform.
Is TikTok banned in other countries?
Yes. As Newsweek reports, TikTok is currently banned to some extent in:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Iran
- Kyrgyzstan
- Senegal
- Uzbekistan
Other countries like Australia and Canada have restricted the app on devices issued by the federal government.
Will Trump save TikTok?
It’s hard to say. President-elect Trump will take office again on Monday, Jan. 20 — one day after the ban would take effect.
Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution.”
The Supreme Court could choose to honor Trump’s request and wait for him to take office before making any decisions.
It’s not clear what Trump’s plan for TikTok will be, but he has said he opposes banning the app.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
