TikTok’s future in the United States has become increasingly uncertain as President Biden clarifies his position on the widely used Chinese app.
On various social media platforms, users are expressing their concerns about the impending ban on TikTok, which is expected to take effect soon.
If you’re not up to speed with the ongoing debate about TikTok, the Supreme Court has recently decided that the app will not be available for download in the U.S. starting Sunday, January 19.
In April 2024, President Biden signed legislation that required ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, to either sell the app or face a ban in the U.S.
Although there have been offers to purchase TikTok, the company has yet to agree to a sale.
The deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok is January 19, just a day before Biden’s term in office concludes.
However, a U.S. official, speaking anonymously, indicated that the Biden administration plans to leave the final decision to Donald Trump, who will assume the presidency on January 20.
While Trump has shown interest in keeping TikTok accessible in the U.S., neither he nor his team have specified their strategy for achieving this.
Interestingly, during his first presidential term from 2017 to 2021, Trump sought to ban TikTok. Yet, during his 2024 campaign, he joined the platform, claimed he would “save it,” and credited it with attracting more young voters.
Earlier this week, Mike Waltz, who will be the incoming White House national security adviser, stated on Fox News: “We will put measures in place to keep TikTok from going dark.”
He added that the new law allows for a delay in the ban, provided there is a viable deal under negotiation.
As January 19 approaches, experts have outlined what TikTok users can expect.
After the deadline, those who haven’t yet downloaded the app will find it unavailable in app stores, as it will be removed under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
For users who already have the app, it is anticipated that it will eventually be disabled.
Timothy Edgar, a cybersecurity professor at Brown University, explained to CBS: “They will get a notice that says, ‘This service is not available in your country.'”
He continued, “That’s most likely what will happen based on what we’ve seen in other countries that have banned certain platforms.”