What time will TikTok go dark? Everything to know about the ban and what could happen next if it goes down

The timepiece is ticking towards a U.S. prohibition connected TikTok, but users seeking clarity connected what that volition mean got small accusation connected Saturday from the institution that runs the fashionable video-sharing level oregon the tech giants that connection the TikTok app successful their integer marketplaces.

Here, DailyMail.com answers immoderate of the astir pressing questions astir the aboriginal of the app. 

What is happening with TikTok successful the U.S.?

As of now, determination is small clarity from TikTok oregon the tech giants hosting the app connected what this volition mean for users. The prohibition stems from a instrumentality that prohibits mobile app stores and net hosting services from distributing TikTok to U.S. users. This instrumentality is acceptable to instrumentality effect connected Sunday with the app apt going 'dark' from midnight EST.

TikTok asked the Biden medication for a 'definitive statement' that would guarantee Google, Apple and different companies they would not look fines if they continued making its work disposable nationwide. Otherwise, TikTok said it 'will beryllium forced to spell dark' connected Sunday.  

Experts person said the mode the instrumentality was written, existent TikTok users would proceed to person entree to the app but wouldn't person updates, yet making it unworkable.

But 1 anonymous root astatine TikTok has said if users effort to unfastened the app they volition spot a pop-up connection directing them to a website with accusation astir the ban. 

Will TikTok travel backmost and if truthful when?

Yes, President-elect Donald Trump stated successful an interrogation with NBC News that helium mightiness assistance a 60 to 90-day hold to let TikTok to proceed operating beyond Sunday. This would supply much clip for TikTok's genitor company, ByteDance, to merchantability its U.S. operations to an approved buyer.

The ban's timing has analyzable matters, possibly successful TikTok's favor: the outgoing Biden medication reiterated connected Saturday that it considers the law's implementation and enforcement to beryllium the work of Trump, who takes bureau connected Monday and has pledged to 'save' the app. 

Why is this prohibition happening?

The U.S. government, nether some the outgoing Biden medication and the incoming Trump administration, has expressed concerns astir nationalist security. ByteDance's ownership of TikTok and its imaginable to misuse idiosyncratic information person been the superior reasons down the propulsion for divestment oregon a ban.

What is the deadline for ByteDance to merchantability TikTok's U.S. operations?

Under the law, TikTok's China-based genitor company, ByteDance, had 9 months to merchantability the platform's U.S. cognition to an approved buyer. The instrumentality allows the sitting president to widen the deadline by 90 days if a merchantability is successful progress.

ByteDance antecedently said it would not sell, but TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is expected to be Trump's inauguration with a premier seating location. 

Are determination immoderate buyers funny successful TikTok?

Several imaginable buyers person travel forward. Artificial quality startup Perplexity AI submitted a connection to ByteDance connected Saturday to make a caller entity that merges Perplexity with TikTok U.S. business. If successful, the caller operation would see different investors and let ByteDance´s existing shareholders to clasp their involvement successful the company.

Perplexity is not asking to acquisition the coveted ByteDance algorithm that feeds TikTok users videos based connected their interests. It's believed Perplexity are offering northbound of $50 billion. 

Separately, a consortium led by Kevin O'Leary and Frank McCourt offered $20 cardinal successful currency for TikTok.

What astir TikTok's algorithm?

Perplexity's connection does not see acquiring ByteDance's proprietary algorithm, which personalizes video recommendations for users. Instead, they would rebuild a caller algorithm for the U.S. platform.

What happens if TikTok is banned?

The specifics stay unclear. Experts suggest that portion existing users whitethorn inactive person entree to the app, they would not person updates, rendering the level little functional implicit time. TikTok has stated it whitethorn beryllium forced to 'go dark' connected Sunday if clarity is not provided.

What has the U.S. Supreme Court ruled connected the matter?

The Supreme Court unanimously upheld the national instrumentality requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok's U.S. operations. In issuing the decision, justices rejected Trump's petition to hold until his medication could prosecute a 'political resolution' to the issue.

TikTok, ByteDance and immoderate of the devoted users who trust connected the level argued the statute violated the First Amendment. The Biden medication sought to amusement ByteDance´s ownership and power of TikTok posed an unacceptable nationalist information threat.

How are TikTok's users and employees reacting?

TikTok users and contented creators, who trust connected the level for amusement and income, person voiced concerns astir the imaginable ban. Meanwhile, TikTok has assured its U.S. employees that their pay, benefits, and employment presumption stay unafraid careless of the app's future.

What is the planetary discourse for TikTok?

TikTok has faced scrutiny and ineligible challenges worldwide. In October, respective U.S. states sued TikTok for allegedly harming children's intelligence health. Internationally, Venezuela and Albania person penalized oregon restricted TikTok for assorted reasons, including nonaccomplishment to mean harmful contented and inciting violence.

What's adjacent for TikTok?

The aboriginal of TikTok successful the U.S. hinges connected whether ByteDance tin successfully divest its U.S. operations oregon negociate presumption with the government. President-elect Trump has hinted astatine announcing a determination connected a imaginable hold by Monday. 

What alternatives are determination to TikTok? 

Uncertainty implicit the app's aboriginal had sent users - mostly younger radical - scrambling to alternatives including China-based RedNote, a Chinese societal media web akin to Instagram. It was the astir downloaded app connected the US Apple Store this week.

Rivals Meta and Snap person besides seen their shares emergence this period up of the ban, arsenic investors stake connected an influx of users and advertisement dollars. Other US-based rivals Meta-owned Instagram Reels, Google-owned YouTube Shorts and streaming level Twitch would apt payment from the ban. 

Lemon8 has besides been mentioned arsenic a imaginable substitute. The app is akin to Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok altogether successful 1 suite. The app is described arsenic a 'lifestyle' societal app that allows users to stock photos and videos of regular routines.

But Lemon8 was besides developed by the aforesaid Chinese institution arsenic TikTok, ByteDance meaning it whitethorn good travel nether the spotlight soon enough.

Marketing firms reliant connected TikTok rushed to hole contingency plans this week successful what 1 enforcement described arsenic a 'hair connected fire' infinitesimal aft months of accepted contented saying that a solution would materialize to support the app running.

There had been signs TikTok could marque a comeback nether Trump, who has said helium wants to prosecute a 'political resolution' of the contented and past period urged the Supreme Court to intermission implementation of the ban.

What america the 'TikTok graveyard' trend? 

The TikTok graveyard inclination was 1 of the much obscure and offbeat trends to originate connected the app.

It saw users creating contented astir cemeteries and humanities burial sites, often focusing connected cleaning, restoring, oregon sharing stories related to those buried beneath.

Some creators caused contention by cleaning graves without permission, but millions watched the videos - fundamentally making wealth for the creator allowing them to proceed to wage for cleaning materials to scrub graves clean.