TikTok said on Sunday it's "restoring service" to users in the U.S. after President-elect Donald Trump pledged to pause the app's ban via an executive order on his first day in office.
The ban was initially set to take effect on January 19, but TikTok began implementing its own ban preemptively, shutting down the app for users in the U.S. starting at 10:30 p.m. on January 18. Now, TikTok appears to have reversed course, with access restored for many users along with a pop-up that reads: "Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"
In a Truth Social post on Sunday morning, Trump said he plans to issue an executive order to extend the timeline for TikTok's parent company ByteDance to find an approved buyer before the ban is enforced. The Biden administration said earlier this week that it would not enforce the ban on Sunday, instead leaving it up to the next administration to decide the app's fate. Trump's inauguration is set for 12 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 20. Here's how to watch it.
"In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive," the company said in a statement on X. "It's a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States."
Though access has been restored for some U.S. users, those who haven't already downloaded TikTok are out of luck as it still appears to be blocked from the Android and Apple app stores. When you search for TikTok in the Play Store, a banner appears that reads: "Looking for TikTok? Downloads for this app are paused due to current US legal requirements."
In the week leading up to January 19, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments from lawyers representing TikTok before making its ruling to uphold the TikTok ban. The case involves national security and free speech, which could have a long-lasting impact beyond whether or not we can share videos on the social media app. (There are plenty of TikTok alternatives if the app is banned.)
TikTok's ban stems from a bill passed by Congress and signed into law by the outgoing Biden administration. The government claims China can gather data on Americans or manipulate the content on TikTok to shape U.S. users' opinions.
TikTok's owner, ByteDance, has few options now that the ban is being upheld. The company can either sell TikTok, shut it down, or struggle along long enough for President-elect Donald Trump to reverse the ban. As CNN noted, those "options aren't mutually exclusive."
For the backstory of TikTok's ban, check out our timeline of everything that's happened so far. Here's the latest news.
Live: Latest updates
Will TikTok survive?
January 19 could be a landmark day for social media and the internet as we know it. Sure, something could happen on January 20 when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Still, if the ban happens, we could see users nationwide logging in with no access to the beloved social video app.
Creators are calling for Trump to save TikTok, while others hope the app's ban is upheld because it may threaten national security. Only time will tell how it goes, but we'll be here to bring you all the developments as they happen.
TikTok alternatives
If TikTok is banned and you're an avid user (whether as a creator or viewer), do you have a plan for where you'll migrate for your short vertical videos?
Most people would consider YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels the primary TikTok replacements, but a new app could rise from the ashes of TikTok and take over.
On Tom's Guide, we use TikTok for much of our video content, but we also share on YouTube Shorts.
Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see which apps rise and take over (or if TokTok survives the U.S. government's attempts to ban it on January 19).
The story so far
Banning TikTok isn't just something that popped up overnight. It's been a long process for the U.S. government to make the ban happen. TikTok parent company, ByteDance, has been engaged in an intense battle to save its app (and its giant source of profit,) and if everything stays the way it's going, the fight will end on January 19.
As we approach the expiration date, be sure to read our in-depth history of the U.S. TikTok ban to learn more about the situation and gain a strong understanding of what to expect.
What about RedNote?
In a move that the U.S. Government almost certainly couldn’t have predicted, TikTok users are flocking to a Chinese app called RedNote. While not as intuitive as TikTok (the interface is in Chinese), the app has quickly shot up the App Store rankings. Is this app safe? Will it have the same problems as TikTok if it becomes the new go-to video-sharing app for content creators?
Our in-depth piece answers all these questions, explaining everything you need to know about RedNote. It has some substantial differences compared to TikTok, so it’s definitely an interesting place for the so-called “TikTok refugees” to go.
Supreme Court may decide today
According to a report from Forbes, TikTok's ultimate fate could be decided by today (Wednesday, January 15, 2025). While we're a few days removed from the Supreme Court hearing arguments about the Federal Government's ban, no opinion has been rendered by the highest court in the U.S.
It's worth noting that the judges issued opinions in other cases they heard the same day as the TikTok statements were issued. They did not opine on the TikTok case, though. There are no other dates scheduled for the court to release opinions, so Forbes believes that it could still happen later today at some point.
The ban is scheduled to start on January 19, so the Supreme Court has little time to express its opinions.
What will happen if the TikTok ban goes through?
At first, we thought a TikTok ban would mean the app was removed from the App Store. If that were to happen, hundreds of millions of Americans who already have it installed would still be able to use it. The latest information suggests this isn't the case and that users will open the app and find that it doesn't work if the ban goes through.
The report comes from The Information, saying that individuals familiar with the matter had stated that TikTok will likely be shut off on January 19.
TikTok reportedly wants to maximize the ban for its benefit, and shutting the app off completely would get users riled up and make noise. That could reach the ears of President-elect Donald Trump, causing him to reverse the ban if he can find a way to do so (he's recently expressed support for TikTok).
Will that plan backfire for TikTok? Only time will tell, but it's an interesting move to shut down completely to leverage the anger of its users.
Tom's Guide on TikTok
Be sure to follow Tom's Guide on TikTok and watch lots of our incredible videos while you still can. If the ban goes through, some of that content could be gone forever, so don't miss out.
Also, be sure to Subscribe to Tom's Guide's YouTube and follow us on Instagram so you can see our videos if TikTok is no longer an option.
What happens to TikTok's US employees?
One thing we don't hear about as much with all the TikTok ban talk is what will happen to the app's employees in the U.S. Will the entire staff be laid off, or will TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, figure out how to keep most, if not all, of them employed?
According to a new report from Reuters, which reviewed an internal memo sent around TikTok, the firm plans to keep paying all U.S. employees if the ban is finalized.
"I cannot emphasize enough that your wellbeing is a top priority and so most importantly, I want to reinforce that as employees in the US, your employment, pay, and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation hasn't been resolved before the January 19 deadline," the memo reads.
It doesn't sound like TikTok is going to give up, even if the ban goes through. "Our leadership team remains laser focused on planning for various scenarios and continuing to plan the way forward," the internal TikTok memo continues.
"The bill is not written in a way that impacts the entities through which you are employed, only the US user experience," the company said.
That last bit is interesting, though, because a lot of TikTok's users are in the U.S. and losing all of them would undoubtedly impact the company's bottom line enough that it might affect the ability to keep everyone working.
TikTok may have a plan to combat the ban further and keep the app running, but the company is definitely in a battle against time.
Senator wants the ban delayed
Massachusetts senator Ed Markey helped support the original TikTok ban. Now, he's calling for the ban to be delayed. He introduced a new bill called “Extend the TikTok Deadline Act."
It would push back the deadline by 270 days, as Markey says pausing it is necessary to ensure that creators on the app know what’s going on.
“Let me be clear: TikTok has its problems,” he said in a statement on his new bill. “Like every social media platform, TikTok poses a serious risk to the privacy and mental health of our young people. I will continue to hold TikTok accountable for such behavior."
“But a TikTok ban would impose serious consequences on millions of Americans who depend on the app for social connections and their economic livelihood. We cannot allow that to happen," he continued.
Elon Musk floated as possible buyer of Tik Tok
A report from Bloomberg landed this week claiming that Tesla/X/SpaceX CEO and owner Elon Musk might be a potential purchaser of Tik Tok US.
Some of this was attributed to Musk's support of president-elect Donald Trump who has signaled support for overturning the Tik Tok ban.
ByteDance, the parent company behind Tik Tok, told Variety, "We can't be expected to comment on pure fiction."
Elon Musk has not officially commented on potentially purchasing Tik Tok, though he has made statements against banning the app.
TikTok may just shut down on Sunday
A new report from Reuters claims that TikTok will shut the app down on Sunday, January 19 for US users.
The law mandates a ban on new TikTok downloads, with existing users able to use the app after the app, for awhile anyway.
However, the Reuters reports that TikTok's plan is to shut down the app. Instead, when opening the app you will be redirected to a website with information about the ban.
A source said that it would allow people to download their data.
ByteDance has not commented on whether or not this plan is actually true or not.
Watch out for TikTok alternative Lemon8
While most of the attention is focused on RedNote as the leading TikTok alternative, Lemon8 is also gaining popularity. In fact, it shot up to the second most popular free app on the Apple App Store (behind RedNote).
To start with, the app has an English interface, which is a lot easier for English-speaking American users to navigate. It performs a similar function to TikTok in that it surfaces videos it thinks you'll like based on an algorithm. It has a “For You” with recommended clips and a “Following” feed that shows content from users you follow, much like TikTok.
The biggest issue it could have is that it relies on TikTok to work. The App Store description mentions TikTok directly: "Lemon8 is a lifestyle community focused app powered by TikTok, where you can discover and share authentic content on a variety of topics such as beauty, fashion, travel, food, and more."
Perhaps an even more significant problem is that a Chinese entity still owns Lemon8. It's owned by ByteDance, the same company that owns TikTok. If TikTok were banned, the government would presumably have the same issues as Lemon8.
Could Donald Trump buy TikTok?
A report started circulating that President-elect Donald Trump was intending to purchase TikTok in an effort to save the social video site. As reported by Newsweek, an X user named @DiaPinCasA shared an image of a post they alleged was by Donald Trump. The X post, which Trump himself supposedly shared, read as follows:
"Big announcement: I will be purchasing TikTok on January 14th for $2.7 billion. Incredible platform, tremendous potential. Under my leadership, it will be bigger and better than ever before! Stay tuned. #MAGA #TikTok"
A quick look over Trump's X account shows no such post. In a Fox News interview, Kevin O'Leary said that Trump is acting as an advisor on the matter of a TikTok purchase but that he is not a potential buyer.
Supreme Court closing time
We've been closely monitoring the Supreme Court's opinion page for new opinions, and it's been quiet.
On the government website, there's a Today at the Court page that breaks down the schedule for the day. It shows that the Supreme Court is scheduled to close at 3 p.m. ET, leaving only a few minutes for it to post an opinion on the TikTok issue. The schedule reads, "The Court may announce opinions, which are posted on the homepage after announcement from the Bench."
"The Supreme Court Building will reopen to the public following the conclusion of the Court session and close at 3 p.m.," continues the breakdown of the Court's plan for the day.
Of course, just like the argument session ran long, there's always a chance the Justices could stay late to lock in what they want to say, but with the public being allowed back in, that seems unlikely.
ACLU weighs in
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized the upcoming TikTok ban as "Unconstitutional."
"Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in one of the most important First Amendment cases of our time: TikTok v. Garland. Brought by TikTok and its users, the suit challenges a law passed last Congress that will functionally ban the platform in the U.S. starting January 19. If upheld, the law won’t just impact the more than 170 million Americans who use TikTok, it will also endanger the constitutional rights of every American to speak and receive information online," reads a blog post by the organization.
It also wrote, "As a general rule, the government can’t simply ban speech it dislikes. When Congress restricts speech based on its content or viewpoint, and especially when it bars speech in advance, it triggers the strictest test under the First Amendment. That test requires, among other things, real evidence of serious harm. But the DOJ has acknowledged there is no evidence that China is covertly manipulating TikTok’s content in the U.S."
The ACLU rounded out its post by saying, "The government does not get to control how Americans express themselves—on or offline—based on vague and hypothetical harms. This is the hallmark of authoritarian regimes, not the U.S.. The Supreme Court must block the ban and defend the freedoms at the heart of our democracy."
Supreme court is closed
It's officially after 3 p.m. ET, which means the Supreme Court is closed for the day. While an opinion may come out late, it's unlikely.
Tomorrow isn't on the schedule as an opinion day, so it's unclear when the Supreme Court will offer opinions on the TikTok ban (if it will at all). After spending more than two hours listening to arguements from both sides, you'd think they'd weigh in.
We'll keep you posted if anything does come out, but it seems unlikely at this point.
Read the arguments for yourself
Since the Supreme Court didn't rule on the case before closing for the day, I thought revisiting the arguments and forming a personal opinion would be wise.
Rather than listen to them again (I heard it all live on January 10), I found a written transcript of the arguments on the Supreme Court's website. The transcript covers all two and a half hours of discussion, so there's a lot to read.
The nice thing with a written transcript like this is that you can use CTRL-F to search for specific mentions of words instead of trying to scrub through more than two hours of audio content.
If you want to learn more about what happened, give parts of the transcript a read and form your own opinions on what will ultimately happen on Sunday. And if listening is more your style, you can still get the audio version on the Supreme Court's website.
If TikTok dies, where will you go?
We're now hours past when the Supreme Court shut down for the day, so I don't expect we'll hear anything official on the impending TikTok ban today.
The Court is not scheduled to meet again until Friday, and that day is a conference meeting, not a session to hear arguments. So it's yet unclear when we will know more about the future of TikTok.
For now, it might be wise for fans of the platform to start considering where they'll get their fix going forward if the 'Tok goes dark. We've been rounding up our own picks for the best TikTok alternative, and it might give you a bit of comfort in this uncertain time.
Trump considers suspending TikTok ban enforcement up to 3 months
The Washington Post has reported that President-elect Donald Trump is mulling an executive order that would suspend enforcing the TikTok ban for between 60 and 90 days.
Trump appears to believe that saving TikTok will help him reach an "adoring audience" that reportedly is on the app.
It's a strange twist in the TikTok saga since the ban law was initially kickstarted toward the end of his first term and finalized during President Biden's administration.
Evade the ban with a VPN
Assuming the ban goes through and you still want to access TikTok you may need to access one of the best VPNs to use the app.
We've put together a guide on how to use a VPN to access TikTok and which ones we think you should try out.
It may be more work than you want to do to look at your TikTok algorithm but it may come in handy for other apps and as a way to skirt regulations as they come down in the future.
TikTok worth $50 billion
It's estimated that if TikTok were to sell in the next four days the company would go for between $40 and $50 billion.
A report from CNBC stated that's how much potential buyers may have to spend to purchase the controversial app, at least the US operations.
Beyond Elon Musk, the report claimed that a consortium of businesspeople including billionaire Frank McCourt and Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary were willing to put a bid of $20 billion on the ByteDance's US assets.
Both are significantly smaller than the $100 billion valuation that CBS reported in April of last year. Though part of the downturn in price may be attributed to different analysts and the precarious political position ByteDance finds itself in now that the ban is actually here versus the theoretical nature of the ban in the spring of 2024.
The state of play
Here's where we are as Thursday dawns with no word from the Supreme Court yet on TikTok's fate.
- TikTok is preparing to shut down its U.S. operations on Sunday when the ban is set to take effect, Reuters is reporting.
- Shou Chew, TikTok's CEO, is reportedly planning to attend Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday.
- Once he's sworn in as president, Trump is apparently mulling an executive order that would suspend the ban, though it's not clear if that would be in the newly inaugurated president's power.
- Axios has a round-up of potential TikTok buyers who might be able to circumvent the TikTok ban.
MrBeast is interested in buying TikTok
YouTube powerhouse Jimmy Donaldson — better known as MrBeast — seems to be interested in becoming a potential owner of TikTok.
He posted on X earlier this week: "Okay fine, I'll buy TikTok so it doesn't get banned." While that was likely meant as a joke, what followed was millions of views and a follow-up tweet suggesting he was taking the idea more seriously.
In a follow-up post, he wrote: "Unironically, I’ve had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this. Let’s see if we can pull this off."
MrBeast hasn't elaborated on which billionaires he's speaking about or how much he'd actually be willing to pay to take ownership of TikTok. But since he has enough to contend with right now, this seems unlikely to make it past the "what if" stage.
Unironically I’ve had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this, let’s see if we can pull this off 🙌🏻January 14, 2025
What will TikTok users see if they open the app after Sunday?
If the ban goes ahead and, as reported, TikTok immediately shuts the app to all U.S. users on Sunday, then anyone opening the app within States will get a pop-up message informing them the app is no longer available in their region.
According to a report in Reuters, TikTok's owners ByteDance will give users the "option to download all their data so that they can take a record of their personal information."
As well as not being able to use the app, TikTok will also vanish from app stores. For those users outside the U.S., the app will continue to function as normal albeit without any new content coming from U.S.-based creators.
How to save your TikTok content before the ban
TikTok is more than just a rolling set of amusing videos — for many, the platform has become a digital scrapbook of tutorials, recipes, and meaningful moments.
Thankfully, there are some ways to save those important pieces of content before the app potentially shuts down over the weekend.
Here's a useful tutorial that will tell you exactly how to download your account data, save your own videos and preserve your liked content.
- Read the full story: How to save your TikTok content before the app shuts down
Talk show hosts weigh in...
Amid all the politics and the very real threat for millions of TikTok fans losing access to their favorite app, you can rely on late night TV to find the funny side. This great New York Times round-up takes a look at all the responses to the incoming ban from some of the nation's biggest talk show hosts.
On Wednesday's “The Daily Show,” host Jordan Klepper said the ban will probably be upheld because the Supreme Court is more of "more of a Walgreens app type of crowd,” than the average TikTok consumer.
“They’re old and sickly, is what I’m saying. I mean, the last time the Supreme Court heard the sound ‘TikTok’ was when death was following R.B.G. around," he said. Zing!
Will the Supreme Court surprise us?
While the Supreme Court isn't scheduled to offer opinions today, perhaps the highest court in the U.S. will deliver an exception and release something today with its thoughts on TikTok. It would be odd for them to spend all that time listening to arguments and not rule on anything they heard.
As always, we'll refresh the Supreme Court's website for any new developments and will keep you posted as they happen. The fate of TikTok is still very much in doubt, and we're all looking for answers.
Supreme Court plans for the week
The Supreme Court building is open to the public today until 3 p.m. ET. Generally, this means there will be no significant decisions or movements.
However, tomorrow is a Conference day, which means "the Justices will meet in a private conference to discuss cases and vote on petitions for review." Perhaps they'll use that time to discuss the TikTok situation and offer a ruling before the January 19 deadline.
TikTok users mocking the TikTok ban
@primbyontwitch ♬ Jacob and the Stone (Slowed) - Emile Mosseri & sped up + slowed
If there's one group of people you'd think would be most worried about TikTok being banned (besides TikTok itself), it's the app's most avid users.
But those are the people mocking the TikTok ban and the national security issues posed by the U.S. government. Perhaps they use this as a coping mechanism to hide their disappointment that their place for expression could disappear, or it's just a sign of the times when everything is ripe for jokes.
Either way, The New York Times spotted a new trend on the social video app where users mock U.S. national security concerns about the Chinese-owned app. It seems that users aren't taking the ban seriously, at least based on this trend. Whether TikTok users will still find it funny after January 19 hangs mainly on what the Supreme Court rules — if it ever makes one.
What does a TikTok ban mean for you?
We've broken down everything that'll happen if TikTok is banned in an article for you.
If you're curious how your life will change if the ban goes through, definitely read that, as it'll help you prepare.
Could Biden delay the ban?
In a report from NBC News, it was revealed that the Biden administration is looking for a way to keep the app available in the United States if the Supreme Court doesn't step in.
"Americans shouldn’t expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday,” an administration official told the news outlet. The administration is "exploring options" to keep the app going after Sunday.
That's a sizable reversal for President Biden's administration, which was instrumental in banning the social video app in the first place. Essentially, it sounds like they want to delay the ban so the Trump administration can decide how to handle it for the long term.
Trump's team to 'preserve' TikTok
On Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump's choice for national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told the BBC, "We will put measures in place to keep TikTok from going dark. "
“If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he’s going to protect their data,” Waltz said, as reported by AP.
It sounds like either the current President or the incoming one will do something to prevent TikTok from disappearing on Sunday — or at least, they will try.
But if either administration can buy time, will ByteDance actually sell the app, or will we just be back here again after the extension is over? That question remains unanswered.
Trump considering executive order
The Washington Post is reporting that President-elect Donald Trump is considering an executive order to allow TikTok to continue operating.
Trump wouldn't be the first president to issue an executive order to try to direct the government not to enforce a law or delay enforcement, which is what would happen for TikTok if Trump enacts an executive order.
Some are skeptical about a Trump executive order, though. Alan Z. Rozenshtein, a former national security adviser to the Justice Department, said an executive order should be “taken with a medium-sized boulder of salt.” He said that an order like that would not change the legislation passed by Congress and signed by President Biden.
In the end, there's a lot of back and forth about whether Trump, Biden or the Supreme Court will save TikTok or if the app will be left to die on Sunday, January 19. We'll have to wait until something is finalized or the deadline passes to find out whether we can keep using TikTok after that final day.
Senator Chuck Schumer wants the ban delayed
“We aren’t against TikTok. We want TikTok to keep going. But we are against a Chinese company that is in cahoots with the Chinese Communist Party owning TikTok,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said during floor remarks Thursday.
He asked for the impending TikTok ban to be delayed to give ByteDance more time to find an American buyer (assuming the company is even trying to find a buyer).
“Unfortunately, TikTok as it exists today has too many security risks that cannot be ignored. The law passed last year was intended to sever TikTok from the influence of the CCP while keeping the app available for Americans,” he said.
“It’s clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers," Schumer continued.
He's not the first Senator to try to delay TikTok's ban. Ed Markey put forward a bill on Wednesday to extend the deadline by another 270 days. Markey believes TikTok has built online communities that “cannot be replicated."
TikTok ban has Washington scrambling
The entire U.S. government seems to be in a hurry to find a way to delay the ban on TikTok —well, everyone except the Supreme Court, which listened to arguments last week but hasn't spoken about them since.
The facts remain: the ban is less than 72 hours from starting, and it seems that government officials are beginning to lean more heavily toward delaying or stopping it.
However, a White House official seems to think the ban won't be delayed, telling Politico: “Our interpretation of the law that Congress passed is that absent a credible plan from the company on how they will divest, the President does not have statutory authority to trigger the 90 day extension. The company has not only not advanced such a plan, they have signaled they have no intention of selling it to an American owner.”
If that official is correct, there might be nothing anyone can do.
Biden may not intervene
Late last night, NBC News reported that the Biden administration was exploring avenues to possibly prevent TikTok from shutting down.
However, new reports from CNN, ABC and Bloomberg claim that the Biden team will not intervene against the law leaving the decision up to incoming President Trump.
ABC reported that Biden won't enforce the ban either though.
It falls to Trump or the Supreme Court now.
Meta may reap the rewards of TikTok's ban
A report from Business Insider suggests that if the TikTok ban goes through, Meta and its platforms Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp will reap the ad dollar rewards.
It makes sense, however, TikTok "refugees" have been flocking to other Chinese apps like RedNote. And younger audiences, which make up much of TikTok in the US, are avoiding Meta's platforms due to recent choices by Mark Zuckerberg including removing the company's fact checking teams and decrying efforts by the Biden administration to reduce disinformation on Facebook and Instagram.
With that in mind, it remains to be seen whether or not a TikTok ban will increase Meta's user numbers or revenue.
With hours to go sudden bipartisan support to save TikTok in the works
With all that's wrong in in this country, what seems to be galvanizing Congressional leaders and two different executive administrations is somehow delaying or preventing the TikTok ban that these people put into motion.
Politico reports that a number a of politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties have been seeking ways to avoid the ban. The gormless Senator Chuck Schumer and a number of other Democrats reached out to President Biden to delay the January 19 deadline.
Incoming President Trump is reported to also want to stave off the ban. Allegedly, TikTok CEO Shou Chew will be attending Trump's inaugaration with other tech leaders including Elon Musk, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg.
Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla) told Fox News, "We’re going to find a way to preserve [TikTok] but protect people’s data and that’s the deal that will be in front of us.”
Time is ticking away and it's frankly astounding that it appears that either no one can do anything or, what's more likely, a lot of grandstanding is happening to appear as though they tried to save TikTok. All put on by nervous politicians who suddenly find a large constituency upset with them over an app.
Supreme Court's TikTok decision could come Friday
The Supreme Court declined to provide an opinion on the future of TikTok earlier this week but could make a decision tomorrow, January 17.
The justices are weighing whether to uphold the law banning TikTok, strike it down, or delay the ban's effect.
During oral arguments it appeared that many of the justices were in favor of upholding the law.
Today, the Supreme Court seemed to indicate that a decision would be on Friday, though it declined to specify which one, a common custom of the court.
The justices will not actually be in court on Friday, with the next scheduled court day being Tuesday, January 21, two days after the ban goes into effect.
However, if tomorrow's decision is about TikTok, we will know when the opinions are posted to the court website , which could go up as soon as 10 a.m. eastern.
Duolingo reports massive surge due to TikTok ban
One app seeing a substantial rise in users due to the possible ban is language-learning app Duolingo.
The service is claiming a 216% increase in Mandarin learners from the USA compared to last year. That's possibly because TikTok fans are flocking to Chinese-language app RedNote as a possible alternative.
The app has even formed an unofficial partnership with RedNote — that it's promoting on TikTok right now. (h/t The Verge)
Learning Mandarin out of spite? You're not alone. We’ve seen a ~216% growth in new Chinese (Mandarin) learners in the US compared to this time last year. https://t.co/9hzwBxfTgD pic.twitter.com/qWM9f5oFYAJanuary 15, 2025
A global knock-on effect?
If TikTok goes dark in the United States, there could be knock-on effects for users around the world. According to a Reuters report, TikTok's initial court filing in its defense pointed out that hundreds of service providers in the US help make the app available worldwide.
The ban would impact these data centers and stop them being able to store TikTok's code, content or data and result in "interruption of services for tens of millions of TikTok users outside the United States," TikTok's parent company ByteDance said.
According to sources speaking with Reuters, by taking the decision to proactively shut down these data centers on January 19, TikTok would be protecting its service providers from legal liability and, in turn, would make it easier to resume operations if President-elect Trump overrules the ban after taking office.
So while this saga is being argued out inside the United States, there could be very real consequences for TikTok's global user base.
Biden may not enforce the ban
According to reports from Politico, President Biden won't enforce the TikTok ban if the deadline passes, instead leaving it to President-elect Donal Trump to deal with the Chinese-owned app.
“Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement,” a White House official similarly told Politico.
“Somebody is going to find a way to strike a deal, and they will be regarded as the hero of a TikTok generation,” Caitlin Legacki, a former Biden Commerce Department official, said. “Democrats see the writing on the wall here, but I do think it speaks to a failure of both parties to actually explain to voters why this was necessary, and as a result, we’re going to probably roll back what was the correct policy.”
If Biden doesn't enforce the ban, then it's possible the Sunday deadline will pass, and nothing will happen, leaving users to use TikTok as they usually would until after the holiday (Monday is MLK Day in the U.S.).
Supreme Court could rule at 10am
According to the Supreme Court website, the justices could offer opinions at 10 a.m. ET today and throughout the day after that point.
"The Court may announce opinions on the homepage beginning at 10 a.m. The Court will not take the Bench," reads the court's website. We'll keep an eye on the website to bring you the latest news regarding how the court sees the TikTok situation.
Supreme Court decision is in
The Supreme Court has posted its opinion on the TikTok ban in a long document on its website. There's a lot to unpack in the document, but the gist is that the ruling will stand.
"The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed," reads the report.
We'll dig into the newly-released document soon, but it looks like the TikTok ban will stand, as least as far as the Supreme Court is concerned.
It comes down to Trump
The Supreme Court was one of the primary ways TikTok could have been saved. With the highest court deciding to uphold the Law, it comes to President-elect Donald Trump to potentially save the app (or put the final nail in its coffin).
Right before the ruling came out, Trump posted on Truth Social that he "just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A. It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!"
It'll be interesting to see what happens with TikTok when Trump takes office on the 20th, but we still have to see what happens on January 19. Will TikTok go dark? Will the Biden administration find a way to delay the ban? Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruling left us with just as many questions as answers.
The key quote from SCOTUS
Most people probably don't enjoy reading the massive Supreme Court document. While the document contains many valuable opinions, two particular paragraphs stand out. They could be among the most important written passages in the social media era.
"There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community. But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.
For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners’ First Amendment rights. The judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is affirmed.
It is so ordered."
Read through that to get a feel for the overall crux of the Supreme Court's reason for upholding the ban.
CDT offers dissenting view
While currently scheduled to happen on January 19, the TikTok ban has plenty who oppose it. Kate Ruane, Director, Free Expression Project at the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), made a statement to Tom's Guide that very much opposes the Supreme Court's decision:
“Today’s unprecedented decision upholding the TikTok ban harms the free expression of hundreds of millions of TikTok users in this country and around the world. Individuals use the app to create, to share information, to get their news, to comment on current issues and promote their businesses – that’s precisely the kind of expression the First Amendment is intended to protect."
The Supreme Court's decision was unanimous
Worth noting is that the Supreme Court offered no dissenting opinions on TikTok. It was unanimous to uphold the original ruling, and more than one Justice wrote in the Opinions of the Court document.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a concurring statement. Justice Neil Gorsuch also concurred.
Trump weighs in
President-elect Donald Trump jumped on Truth Social following the Supreme Court's ruling to offer his thoughts.
"The Supreme Court decision was expected, and everyone must respect it,” Trump says in a post on Truth Social. “My decision on TikTok will be made in the not-too-distant future, but I must have time to review the situation. Stay tuned!" wrote the incoming President of the United States.
That post came shortly after Trump discussed a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said the pair "discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects."
TikTok is at the front of mind for Trump, but we may not hear his plans for a little while.
TikTok responds to Supreme Court ruling
@tiktok Our response to the Supreme Court decision.
♬ original sound - TikTok
TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew jumped on, where else but TikTok, to post a video response to the Supreme Court ruling. In a minute and thirty-second video, he discussed the Supreme Court's decision and how it will affect more than 170 million American users.
He mentioned Donald Trump's commitment to work with TikTok to find a solution that keeps the app available in the United States. He also thanked American users for making the TikTok community a rich and vibrant space. He closed the video by saying TikTok will do everything possible to ensure the platform thrives as a home for creativity and discovery.
If you want to hear the full statement, check out the TikTok video embedded above.
Frank McCourt could be a buyer
Frank McCourt, a well-known billionaire who has expressed interest in buying TikTok, stated the following after the Supreme Court decision, as reported by The Information: “We have a formal offer on the table with ByteDance. We are ready to work with the company and President Trump to complete a deal.”
Follow Tom's Guide
With TikTok potentially going away (or at least taking a pause) after Sunday, follow Tom's Guide on other platforms!
- Instagram: @TomsGuide
- YouTube: TomsGuideUS
- TikTok (while it lasts): @TomsGuide
Will you get in trouble for using TikTok?
So, if no one buys TikTok between now and Sunday and it becomes banned in the U.S., will you get in trouble for using it?
No. The law targets app stores that host the TikTok app (Apple and Google, among others). These stores could face fines if they continue to offer the app for download in their stores.
However, TikTok has said that if the ban passes, the app will go dark in the United States, which means it will effectively be useless (assuming it follows through on its promises). Even if TikTok doesn't go dark but the ban sticks, the app will eventually become useless without updates. It could even be a security risk, as running outdated software on your device can be risky.
If you can't imagine a world without TikTok, you can try to get access to the app through a VPN, but your success rate could vary.
Only time will tell what actually happens when the ban takes effect on Sunday, but one thing you can count on is Tom's Guide being here with the latest news and updates regarding the TikTok ban.
Elon Musk still speculated to potentially buy TikTok
Despite a blatant denial by TikTok parent company ByteDance earlier this week there is still speculation that Elon Musk is in the running to potentially purchase the US assets of TikTok.
Yahoo News reported that Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote, "We believe ByteDance and ultimately Beijing is looking at the possibility that Musk/X could buy the US TikTok operations. Beijing/Xi Jinping has a strong relationship with Musk so there would be added comfort in this deal/potential partnership to avoid a TikTok ban in our view.”
When Bloomberg reported similar news earlier this week, TikTok called the news "pure fiction."
Ives added that he believed the price for TikTok is between $40 and $50 billion. Yahoo News reported that Tesla stock jumped 3% with the news of a Musk purchase.
Elon Musk has become an influential member of Trump's circle, and Trump has signaled that he is willing find a way to save TikTok from being banned.
ByteDance has been adamant that the company is not interested in selling its US assets. So, we'll be surprised if a ban actually takes place.
Flashes is an Instagram alternative
As people search for TikTok alternative, they also may be searching alternatives to Instagram with Zuckerberg's recent "masculine energy" turn being a deterrent to many.
Enter Flashes, which could be considered the Bluesky for Instagram. Flashes is built on top of Bluesky's open protocol and is meant to operate similarly to Instagram. It also means you can share images and videos from Flashes to your Bluesky account.
Right now, the creator says it won't offer all the same features as Instagram, but it's not a Meta platform and that may be appealing enough.
Meanwhile, Instagram is adding a number of new features to Reels, its TikTok ripoff. These include a new Reels feed of videos your friends have liked or commented on.
TikTok Creators say Goodbye
As the TikTok ban gets closr to reality, influencers on the platform are starting to say goodbye, showing off how they pulled off some of their viral videos or getting nostalgic.
As reported by Fast Company, a number are thanking the platform even famous people like the singer Charlie Puth, have posted videos saying goodbye.
For many larger accounts and influencers, their livelihoods will probably be fine. They have large numbers on other platforms and enough pull now to keep their influence up.
Smaller and mid-level creators will most likely suffer as they'll have a harder time moving followers to a new platform, especially as the diaspora of users finds any number of new apps to try.
Its the end of an era for many.
Is an 11th hour reprieve in the works?
Despite a lot of grandstanding and calls for delays, politicians have largely done nothing to prevent the TikTok ban from going into effect.
Still, the ban doesn't officially start until Sunday, January 19th. Which means there is a bit of time left for any political jockeying to halt or delay the ban.
If nothing happens on Saturday, ByteDance has said that it will shutdown the app in the United States on Sunday.
For now, the last real hope for the company and its followers remains with incoming President Trump who has said that he is looking into means to stop or delay the ban. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has been publicly bending the knee to Trump and plans on attending his inauguration next week.
We shall see if Trump actually does anything. Though he started this process in 2020, his team found that he had a strong following of young conservatives on TikTok which may have bolstered his election chances, along side a number of glaring errors made by both the Biden and Harris campaigns.
Tiktok says it will 'go dark' on Sunday unless Biden acts 'immediately'
The Biden administration has made it clear that it's leaving Tiktok's fate in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in on Monday. In response to the Supreme Court's ruling, Tiktok said it would be forced to "go dark" unless the government intervened before the ban took effect.
"The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability to over 170 million Americans," the company said in a statement on Friday. "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."
After initially supporting the move, Trump has suggested he is against the ban. "My decision on TikTok will be made in the not too distant future, but I must have time to review the situation," he said on Friday.
Tiktok creators post farewell videos
With the TikTok ban upheld by the Supreme Court on Friday, all signs point to the popular app going dark this weekend. Influencers have begun posting heartfelt farewells to their fans as they prepare to leave the platform for one of the TikTok alternatives gaining traction in recent weeks.
"I never even in a million years ever thought that anybody would ever just care about what I say," Kimberly Rhoades, a creator known for her comedy skits and makeup tutorials, told her 3 million followers this week. "If this app goes away, it was a beautiful, beautiful ride."
The platform has until Sunday to cut ties with its China-based parent ByteDance or shut down its U.S. operation to resolve concerns it poses a threat to national security.
It's official — TikTok has shut down in the U.S.
TikTok has implemented its shut down before the scheduled date of January 19. As of 10:30 p.m. ET.on Saturday, January 18, users are being met with the above error message when they attempt to open the app. The only two actions offered are to learn more (which opens this page that adds little to no more context) or to close the app.
The error message states explicitly that TikTok is working with Donald Trump on a "solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office." That happens on Monday, January 20.
How long will the TikTok ban last?
Now that TikTok has gone dark, the first question users will ask is, "how long will this last?" The government's condition for TikTok to be reinstated for China-based parent company ByteDance to divest from the app; however, there are certain terms of the law that could extend TikTok's ability to operate in the U.S. before an official sale takes place.
Apple's 'unprecedented' response for iPhone users on TikTok ban
TikTok went dark in the U.S. on Saturday night, and Google and Apple have pulled the app from their app stores. Now, in a move that's virtually unheard of, Apple has issued a support document regarding the app's removal.
As first spotted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in a post on X, Apple has issued a support document about TikTok titled: “About availability of TikTok and ByteDance Ltd. apps in the United States."
The document lists other affected apps besides TikTok, such as Marvel Snap, Lemon8 and CapCut, that Bytedance owns. “If you already have these apps installed on your device, they will remain on your device. But they can’t be redownloaded if deleted or restored if you move to a new device. In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible,” Apple explains. The company goes on to say that if you try to access these apps in the U.S., you will be “unable to download, update, or make in-app purchases and new subscriptions inside ByteDance Ltd. apps while within the land or maritime borders of the United States.” Once you leave the U.S., full functionality returns.
TikTok comes back online as Trump promises executive order
After going dark late Saturday evening and Sunday, TikTok is "restoring service" for users in the U.S. The ByteDance-owned company is directly thanking President-Elect Donald Trump for its decision after Trump took to Truth Social to pledge that one of his first acts in office would be issuing an executive order to stall the ban.
"Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!" reads a pop-up message for U.S. users on TikTok.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday morning, Trump said he plans to issue an executive order to extend the timeline for TikTok's parent company ByteDance to find an approved buyer before the ban is enforced. The Biden administration said earlier this week that it would not enforce the ban on Sunday, instead leaving it up to the next administration to decide the app's fate.
After restoring access for U.S. users, TikTok said in a post on X that Trump’s post had provided “the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans.” The phrase "IT'S BACK" has since been trending on X as TikTok users rejoice in being able to use the popular video platform again.
Meta announces CapCut copycat
TikTok may be back online, but it wasn't the only ByteDance-owned app that went dark over the weekend thanks to the ban. U.S. users also lost access to the popular video editing software CapCut, and its fate remains in limbo, leaving people scrambling for CapCut alternatives. Ever the opportunist, Meta swooped in on Sunday to introduce its own CapCut copycat: an app called Edits.
“Now there’s a lot going on in the world right now, and no matter what happens, we think it’s our job to create the most compelling creative tools for those of you who make videos — for not just Instagram, but for platforms out there — as we can,” explained Instagram's head honcho Adam Mosseri in a video message.
The app's not set to go live until February, he added, but starting today, it's available for preorder in the Apple App Store and will soon come to Android as well.
