TikTok is set to “go dark” on Sunday for its 170 million American users after the Supreme Court upheld a law that would ban the app in the United States.
In April, President Joe Biden signed a law requiring TikTok — owned by the Chinese company ByteDance — to sell the popular social media platform to a U.S. company or face a shutdown amid fears that China’s involvement posed a national security threat.
TikTok said in a statement Friday it “will be forced to go dark” on Jan. 19 unless the Biden administration gives more definitive assurances ahead of the scheduled ban.
So what will happen on Sunday, and what does it mean for TikTok and its American users?
Here’s everything we know:
What Will Happen To The TikTok App?
Noel Francisco, an attorney for TikTok, told the Supreme Court on Friday that, to his understanding, the app would essentially shut down if it went dark.
A person with knowledge of the company’s planning stated that the app going dark was a last resort.
The Information reported on Tuesday, before the Supreme Court’s decision, that the app could go dark rather than allow people already on it to continue using it.
In Friday’s statement, TikTok attempted to pressure the Biden administration into providing more detail on the outgoing president’s plans for the scheduled ban.
But the White House said in a statement Friday that the Biden administration believes “that actions to implement the law” should be left up to President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office on Monday.
However, the White House made it clear that Biden believes the platform should operate under American ownership.
The Department of Justice also released a statement Friday saying it welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the law.
We Are Going Dark
TikTok, which launched in the U.S. in 2018, said both statements “failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability to over 170 million Americans.”
It said it would go dark “unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement.”
Also Read: ‘Trump Vows To Prevent TikTok Shutdown’- Incoming National Security Adviser
In an updated statement on Saturday, the White House dismissed TikTok’s threat as a “stunt.”
“We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump Administration takes office on Monday,” the White House said. “We have laid out our position clearly and straightforwardly: actions to implement this law will fall to the next administration. So TikTok and other companies should take up any concerns with them.”
Could Trump Stop The Ban?
The final decision on TikTok’s fate appears to be in the hands of the incoming president.
Although Trump tried unsuccessfully to get the platform banned during his first term, he has since changed his tune.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump joined the app and said in a video posted in June, “I’m going to save TikTok.”
On Friday, he issued a vague statement on Truth Social that said “everyone must respect” the Supreme Court’s decision.
Meanwhile, in a later development, Trump said he will “most likely” give TikTok a 90-day extension.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration on Monday and will sit with other tech executives.
In a video Friday, Chew thanked Trump “for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States.”
Is TikTok For Sale?
Yes, TikTok could still be sold, but ByteDance has repeatedly said it does not plan to sell.