TikTok says it will go dark for 170 million users in US on Sunday

The court’s unanimous 9-0 determination connected Friday has near TikTok users successful limbo. The ruling came aft concerns that China could usage the app to cod delicate information connected millions of US citizens for imaginable espionage. If the app is not sold by the deadline, it volition beryllium banned successful the US.

Uncertainty for TikTok users

Donald Trump, who is acceptable to instrumentality to the presidency connected Monday, has indicated his willingness to intervene. Trump attempted to prohibition TikTok during his erstwhile medication and is expected to play a cardinal relation successful the app’s future. He has not yet made an authoritative determination but hinted that his squad is reviewing the situation.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is scheduled to be Trump’s inauguration successful Washington, with hopes that the incoming medication volition instrumentality enactment to prevention the app. Meanwhile, Apple, Google, and different work providers could look dense fines if they proceed supporting TikTok erstwhile the prohibition takes effect.

Biden administration’s silence

TikTok’s aboriginal successful the US present hinges connected contiguous enactment from the Biden administration. The White House has yet to supply the clarity TikTok and its work providers are seeking. The instrumentality banning TikTok, which passed Congress with beardown bipartisan enactment past year, is intended to code concerns that overseas adversaries, peculiarly China, could exploit the level for nationalist information threats.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Biden has not formally invoked a 90-day hold connected the ban, a measurement allowed nether the law. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged that enforcing the instrumentality would apt beryllium the work of the adjacent administration.

TikTok’s increasing US presence

With implicit 170 cardinal users successful the US, TikTok has go a large societal media platform, particularly among younger generations. Users expressed daze astatine the imaginable ban. Lourd Asprec, a Houston-based influencer with 16.3 cardinal followers, said she was “speechless” astatine the imaginable of losing her superior platform, connected which she earns an estimated $80,000 annually.

The app’s future, however, is clouded by the lack of clarity from work providers similar Google and Apple, who could look penalties for continuing to connection TikTok successful their app stores. Google declined to comment, and Apple did not respond to inquiries.

Is determination a mode out?

Trump’s instrumentality to bureau could awesome a displacement successful TikTok’s fortunes. Despite his anterior attempts to prohibition the app, Trump whitethorn usage a instrumentality called the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to let TikTok to proceed operating portion mitigating nationalist information concerns.

A purchaser for TikTok has yet to emerge, though erstwhile Los Angeles Dodgers proprietor Frank McCourt has expressed interest, valuing the institution astatine $20 cardinal without its almighty algorithm. Trump’s handling of TikTok could springiness the app a reprieve oregon unafraid its aboriginal with less risks to US security.

What did the US Supreme Court say?

For years, TikTok’s Chinese ownership has raised alarm among US lawmakers. “The standard of TikTok’s influence, combined with its susceptibility to manipulation by China, justifies the government’s concerns,” the Supreme Court wrote successful its opinion.