Note: January 23 update at the end of the article
Tiktok, a social media platform with over 1 billion monthly active users globally and 150 million active monthly users in the United States, is facing a ban in the U.S. Not only is TikTok a social media application, but it also is a source of income for many users and a means to shop through their feature “TikTok Shop”.
Unless it is sold by its Chinese parent corporation ByteDance to a US-approved company by January 19, TikTok will be banned from all users in the United States.
Donald Trump, who will be sworn into office as President the following day, has requested the Supreme Court to delay the ban until it hears arguments about the case on January 10. Let’s break it down:
Who wants to ban TikTok in the U.S.? Why?
United States government officials and lawmakers accused ByteDance of having connections to the Chinese government, making it a national security issue. US officials claim that the Chinese government could force TikTok’s owner to distribute data of its 170 million total US users. Although all social media platforms collect data on its users, TikTok’s connection to the Chinese government could pose a real threat to US citizens’ security.
As reported by the BBC, the US Justice Department states that TikTok poses “a national security threat of immense depth and scale” due to the Chinese government’s possible access to detailed information on US citizens. Although both TikTok and its parent company have denied allegations of being connected to the Chinese government, or that any data has been or will be leaked, United States officials are still suspicious.
In April 2024, the US Congress passed a bill signed by President Joe Biden into law that gave ByteDance nine months to find a US-approved buyer, or else TikTok would be shut down across the US. In response, TikTok and ByteDance have filed several legal challenges against the law, claiming it to be unconstitutional, and that it would have a “staggering impact on free speech by censoring its US users”. Even a temporary ban in 2025 would have a drastic impact on TikTok’s platform and users.
The US Supreme Court has deferred ByteDance’s request for an emergency injunction to delay the potential ban while it hears their case. As reported by the BBC, the Supreme Court will hear arguments from the companies, US government, and determine whether the ban violates the US constitutional right to free speech on January 10th.
Where else is TikTok banned?
TikTok has already been banned in India since June 2020, as well as in Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Somalia. The US government, Parliament, and European Commission also banned TikTok from staff devices in 2023 due to security concerns.
What would the Tiktok ban mean for the US?
If the ban is passed, online marketplaces and app stores that offer TikTok will stop making the platform available to American users. Congress has instructed the App Store and Google Play store to be ready to remove TikTok for iOS and Android devices upon the ban’s approval. The ban would prevent people from downloading the app on their devices, halting new users from getting TikTok.
Furthermore, anyone who already had the apps would be unable to receive routine app updates or bug fixes. However, TikTok’s 170 million users in the US will likely still be able to use the app because it is already downloaded on their devices. Yet, without software and security updates, the app will eventually become unusable. Some TikTok users have already begun to use virtual private networks (VPNs) to disguise the user’s location and bypass the potential ban.
How does Donald Trump play a role?
Although Trump attempted to ban TikTok while he was President in 2020, he has now asked for the Supreme Court to “delay the ban while he works on a political resolution”. His lawyer filed a legal brief ahead of the Supreme Court hearing which stated that Trump opposes the banning of TikTok and intends to resolve the conflict upon entering office. Trump also met with TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew in December 2024 to discuss the ban.
The bill passed by Congress in April 2024 would also give the US President large powers to limit other apps with ties to US adversary countries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Update:
On January 19, 2025, TikTok was temporarily banned for users in the United States. Upon clicking on the application, users were met with a message that stated “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now.” It then read “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
Yet, within a few hours, TikTok became available again in the United States. A new banner popped up, delighting users with “Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! You can continue to create, share, and discover all things you love on TikTok.”
As of January 23, TikTok is back online, but some users complain about a lack of content quality. Some Americans’ TikTok feeds appear more pixelated, and features like TikTok Shop and TikTok Live were unusable for several days. Furthermore, speculations are traveling about the censoring of TikTok content. The TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, has praised President Trump numerous times, and some users report difficulties searching for or even “hash tagging” negative comments about the Trump Administration. For instance, before the TikTok ban, users could search or hashtag “f**** Trump” or “f*** Biden”. Now, the search or hashtag comes up blank when users attempt to type “f*** Trump,” though they are able to type this for Biden. Currently, the temporarily disabled features on TikTok are being re-established.
Photo source: PCMag