TikTok could face a ban in the U.S. by January 19, 2025, following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld legislation citing national security risks. The app’s only hope for survival lies in being sold to a non-Chinese company, a scenario that seems unlikely. As Donald Trump prepares to take office, discussions on TikTok’s future are expected. Meanwhile, users are exploring alternatives like RedNote as concerns about the enforcement of the ban and app accessibility grow.
TikTok Faces Potential Ban in the U.S. by January 2025
TikTok’s avenues for recourse have run dry. The United States Supreme Court has upheld a ban on the app, putting it in jeopardy of vanishing from American screens as soon as January 19, 2025. While a sale of TikTok could alter its fate, all eyes are on Donald Trump’s stance regarding the issue.
Supreme Court Ruling and National Security Concerns
On January 17, the Supreme Court validated a law prohibiting TikTok on U.S. territory, a piece of legislation that Congress overwhelmingly passed in 2024 and was endorsed by President Joe Biden. The ban faced challenges from Bytedance, TikTok’s parent company, but the Court sided against them. The justices unanimously concluded that the law doesn’t infringe upon the First Amendment, which safeguards freedom of speech, and recognized the app as a potential “risk to national security.”
The Supreme Court articulated that TikTok’s vast user base and its connection to a foreign entity, alongside the extensive sensitive data it gathers, necessitate a special approach to mitigate the government’s national security apprehensions. With the law set to take effect on January 19, 2025, TikTok’s only chance to avoid a ban lies in selling its U.S. operations to a non-Chinese firm, a scenario that appears increasingly unlikely.
As Donald Trump’s inauguration looms on January 20, 2025, the question remains: will he take action regarding TikTok once he assumes office? In his recent statements, Trump acknowledged the expected nature of the Supreme Court’s ruling and indicated that he would deliberate on his decision concerning TikTok in the near future. He also mentioned discussing the matter with Chinese President Xi Jinping just days prior.
The Future of TikTok and User Accessibility
Despite the impending ban, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated that TikTok could continue operating for Americans, provided it transitions to American ownership or an alternative ownership that addresses Congress’s national security concerns. She emphasized that the responsibility for enforcing the law would fall to the incoming Trump administration.
However, the implementation of this ban raises questions about its enforcement. If TikTok is indeed banned on January 19, 2025, Oracle will no longer be able to supply the app with its cloud services, and major tech firms like Google and Apple are expected to remove TikTok from their respective app stores. It’s uncertain whether using a VPN would allow users in the U.S. to access TikTok, especially if they are logged into U.S.-based accounts on their devices.
Should China resist divesting TikTok’s American operations, it might be compelled to do so. Reports suggest that Elon Musk is interested in acquiring TikTok, which, combined with his ownership of Twitter (now X), would position him as a dominant figure in Western social media. Frank McCourt, known in France as the owner of Olympique de Marseille, is also in the mix, aiming to revamp TikTok’s formidable algorithm.
In light of the uncertainty, many American users have begun exploring alternatives, with some downloading RedNote, a competitor from China, as a potential substitute for their beloved TikTok.