TikTok faces shutdown in the U.S. unless the Biden administration intervenes

TikTok has warned that it will be forced to shut down in the United States on Sunday unless President Joe Biden’s administration provides assurances to tech companies, such as Apple and Google, that they will not face penalties when the app is banned. The warning comes after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law banning the Chinese-owned app on national security grounds if its parent company, ByteDance, does not sell it by January 19.

The Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision has thrown the fate of the popular short-video platform and its 170 million American users into uncertainty, with the app facing the risk of being taken offline in just two days. In response, TikTok stated that if the Biden administration does not issue a clear statement ensuring service providers are not penalised for continuing to support the app, it would be forced to suspend operations in the U.S.

The White House declined to comment on the matter, while major tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Oracle, may face substantial fines if they continue to provide services to TikTok after the ban takes effect.

Although the law was passed with bipartisan support in Congress last year and signed by President Biden, there is growing opposition among lawmakers who had originally backed the legislation. Many are now calling for TikTok to be allowed to continue operating in the U.S. amid concerns over its potential impact on American businesses and users.

The law was enacted due to concerns about TikTok’s Chinese ownership, with U.S. lawmakers and intelligence agencies arguing that China could use the app to gather sensitive data on Americans. The Supreme Court upheld the ban, stating that the platform’s scale and vulnerability to foreign control justify the government’s national security concerns.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok in 2020, has weighed in on the issue, stating that he intends to take action to save the app once he returns to office. Trump mentioned in a social media post that he would announce his decision on TikTok “in the not-too-distant future” and emphasised that he is reviewing the situation carefully. TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, plans to attend Trump’s second inauguration on Monday.

Despite the looming shutdown, TikTok remains a dominant platform, especially among young Americans who use it for entertainment, business, and social engagement. Some users, including content creators like Lourd Asprec from Houston, have expressed disbelief over the potential ban, with Asprec stating, “I don’t even care about China stealing my data. They can take all my data from me.”

As the deadline approaches, millions of U.S. users have begun exploring alternatives, including other Chinese-owned apps like RedNote, although many are struggling to navigate these platforms, which are primarily in Mandarin.

The law, which bans the provision of services to foreign adversary-controlled apps, includes platforms like TikTok and could lead to significant changes in how American tech companies operate. The Biden administration has emphasised that TikTok could remain in the U.S. if it were no longer controlled by China, but no formal action has been taken to delay the deadline.

With the January 19 deadline fast approaching, the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain, and it may ultimately rest on the decisions of the next administration or potential buyers, such as former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who has expressed interest in purchasing the app.