NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 13: In this photo illustration, the TikTok app is seen on a phone on … [+]
After months of uncertainty, TikTok is finally set to face a ban this weekend. If you’re one of the 170 million TikTok users in the U.S., you may be wondering when the ban will take effect and whether the app will still be accessible on Sunday.
On Friday, Jan. 17, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld a law requiring TikTok to either separate from its parent company, ByteDance, or face removal from U.S. app stores and hosting services starting Jan. 19. Service providers such as Apple, Google, and Oracle could face penalties for noncompliance to the law.
TikTok has warned that it will shut down on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides clear assurances to Apple, Google, and other service providers.
“Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19,” the social media platform said in a statement on Jan. 17.
President-elect Donald Trump, who initially called for a ban in 2020 citing national security concerns, recently wrote on Truth Social that the court’s decision was “expected” and his “decision on the app will be made in the not too distant future,” but he also needs time to review the situation.
With the ban likely taking effect tomorrow, when will you lose access to the app, and will you be able to save your information later? Here’s what you need to know.
What Time Will The TikTok Ban Take Effect?
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 13: Participants hold signs in support of TikTok outside the U.S. Capitol … [+]
The TikTok ban is set to take effect on Jan. 19, meaning the popular app could stop working at 12:01 a.m. ET for U.S. users.
What Could Users See When They Open TikTok During The Ban?
WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 07: In this photo illustration, the download page for the TikTok app is … [+]
TikTok users in the U.S. who try to open the app may see a pop-up message directing them to a website with details about the ban, according to a report from Reuters.
Sources told the site that TikTok plans to offer users an option to download their data, allowing them to save a record of their personal information. In anticipation of the ban, many users have been downloading their videos and data and switching to other platforms, including the Chinese-owned app RedNote.
Initially, there was speculation that TikTok might still be usable after a ban, gradually becoming less functional without users’ ability to make updates. However, it now appears that the app will be completely inaccessible.
“We go dark. Essentially, the platform shuts down,” Noel Francisco, TikTok’s counsel, told the Supreme Court last week.
Could Service Providers Face Penalties for Allowing TikTok Access After the Ban?
A blinkee.city rental scooter is seen in Warsaw, Poland on September 10, 2018. (Photo by Jaap … [+]
An administration official told ABC News that President Joe Biden would not enforce the ban against app stores or internet providers, leaving the matter to the incoming administration. However, these companies could still face $5,000 fines for each user they allow to access TikTok — which could accumulate to insanely large amounts considering the app’s popularity.
“The companies, Apple, Google, etc., have to essentially decide – likely, in conjunction with their CEOs, in conjunction with their boards – whether they want to take this risk in violating the law, despite President Trump’s assurances,” Wayne Unger, a Quinnipiac University law professor, told USA Today. “Because his assurances only go so far.”
What Could Trump Do To Save TikTok After He’s Sworn In?
POWDER SPRINGS, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 28: Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald … [+]
Trump said he will decide on TikTok shortly after taking office, though his options to delay the ban are limited. The law allows the president to grant a one-time, 90-day extension delaying the ban if TikTok demonstrates it is working to separate from ByteDance. This means Trump could pause the ban after taking office.
TikTok must prove it is on a “path to executing” a divestiture from its Chinese owner, show “evidence of significant progress” toward a sale, and finalize this progress with “relevant binding legal agreements.”
Citing anonymous sources, The Washington Post reported that Trump is considering delaying the law for 60 to 90 days. The New York Times also stated that Trump might issue an executive order pausing the law until a deal with ByteDance is finalized.
Another possibility, as University of Minnesota law professor Alan Rozenshtein told Forbes, is that Trump could declare TikTok in compliance with the law, even if it hasn’t fully separated from ByteDance. This move would keep TikTok legal but could still face court challenges or be ignored by companies if ByteDance hasn’t actually divested.