Reports indicate that TikTok is preparing for an immediate and complete shutdown of its services in the US on January 19.
The report comes from The Information, which details how individuals familiar with the matter had stated that TikTok will likely be shut off on January 19. While we have known about the possible TikTok ban, this is the first we have heard regarding the app shutting down so soon. The motive? TikTok reportedly wants to maximize the impact of the ban to its benefit.
The report mentions that the shut-off would make it impossible to download the app, as well as affect those who have already downloaded it.
According to the report, if the proposed plan goes through, users who log into the app will see a pop-up message appear. This popup will redirect them to a website with information about the shutdown. This would likely mean that users would be unable to view notifications or videos. However, the app will apparently allow users to download their data and personal information following the ban.
The ban is the result of a law that was passed last year that required the apps parent company, ByteDance, to sell TikTok's US operations to an American company. This is, reportedly, due to security concerns about the company being forced to send user information to Beijing. There were some rumors that the Chinese Government was considering selling to Elon Musk, but TikTok has stated that is untrue.
With the news that TikTok could soon be removed from the US, many users have started to look for the best alternative. One of the most popular is the Chinese app RedNote. The app, which was relatively unheard of in the past, works like a hybrid of TikTok and Instagram. However, the app is designed primarily for users who speak Mandarin, but it is working to help these so-called "TikTok refugees" navigate the app.
It is worth noting that Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to delay the cancelation while he sought a political solution back in December. However, there has been no update on if that has been taken into consideration. Secondly, it is possible that the reported date might not be exact. For the time being, we will have to wait and see what the result is.
