TikTok Logo
TikTok announced late Friday that it will cease operations in the United States on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides assurances to tech giants like Apple and Google that they will not face enforcement actions under a potential ban.
This announcement follows a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a provision banning TikTok on national security grounds unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests its ownership. The ruling places TikTok and its 170 million American users in a precarious position, with the app poised to go offline in just two days.
TikTok’s future now hinges on incoming President Donald Trump, who has pledged to address the issue after taking office on Monday.
“The statements issued today by the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurances to the service providers integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability to over 170 million Americans,” TikTok said in a statement. “Without immediate action, TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19.”
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, President-elect Donald Trump stated on social media that the ruling was expected and should be respected.
“My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned,” Trump posted.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew reaffirmed the company’s commitment to keeping the platform accessible to U.S. users, noting potential support from the incoming Trump administration.
“We have been fighting to protect the constitutional right of free speech for the more than 170 million Americans who use our platform every day to connect, create, discover, and achieve their dreams,” Chew said.
He also thanked President-elect Trump for his willingness to collaborate on a solution, stating, “On behalf of everyone at TikTok, and our users across the country, I want to thank President Trump for his commitment to work with us to keep TikTok available in the United States.”
