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Time's ticking: TikTok to shut down unless Supreme Court repeals ban
The banning of TikTok in the U.S. is happening very soon. Here's what you need to know.
TikTok, one of the most popular social media networks in the world, is 10 days away from shutting down in the United States.
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ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok — which has created superstars like Jool Lebron, Noah Beck, and Charli D'Amelio — announced its plan to shut down by Sunday, Jan. 19, unless the Supreme Court strikes down an existing law forcing the social media platform to be sold to a U.S. company, CBS News reports. If a buyer is not found, TikTok will no longer be available for download in app stores for mobile devices.
In April 2024, President Joe Biden signed a new law that will fine any U.S. platform that hosts TikTok (via CNN), including dominant players such as Apple's App Store (for iOS devices) and the Google Play Store (for Android devices). This new law mandated that ByteDance had 270 days to sell the platform to an American company, or it would face a complete ban.
That time period of 270 days ends on Jan. 19, 2025.
@msnbc The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments regarding TikTok's appeal against a federal law that could potentially ban the app. This law mandates that TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, either sell the platform to an American company or face a ban. If enacted, the law is set to take effect on January 19. MSNBC Legal Correspondent Lisa Rubin breaks it all down.
The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments about whether or not the law should be held up, struck down, or delayed (through an extension).
During his White House administration, President Biden reportedly said that "no one can seriously dispute that [China's] control of TikTok through ByteDance represents a grave threat to national security" (via PBS News).
As previously reported, TikTok has released a statement calling the ban "unconstitutional," adding:
"The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation."
LGBTQ+ creators on TikTok have said that banning the app would effectively "eliminate" much-needed online communities and activism. For instance, nonbinary TikTok creator Jeffrey Marsh told The Advocate:
"If TikTok is banned, a vibrant, kind and supportive queer community would disappear overnight. I am old enough to have been famous on Vine and have experienced how devastating it can be when your community evaporates."
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
