App to shut down in US on Sunday if ban sticks, reports say

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TikTok is preparing to shut down its popular short video app for hundreds of millions of users in the US if a federal ban takes effect on Sunday, reports say.

Sunday is the deadline for TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company, ByteDance, to sell its US assets or allow the app to face a nationwide ban unless the Supreme Court moves to block it. But while such a ban would effectively remove TikTok from app stores, it appears that TikTok is making other plans that are not strictly required by law.

If the federal ban on the app goes into effect as planned, TikTok appears poised to shut down the social media app in the US, sources familiar with the matter said told Reuters. The information first reported the news.

The revelation comes after the US Supreme Court appeared inclined to uphold a law President Joe Biden signed last spring on national security grounds – even as President-elect Donald Trump and some lawmakers favor an extension of the 19 .January.

Here’s what you need to know about the ban and what would happen under TikTok’s reported plan.

What would happen to the TikTok app on smartphones?

Under TikTok’s plan, people who try to open the app will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the ban, Reuters reported, citing sources who requested anonymity because the case is not public.

The company also plans to allow users to download all their data so they can record their personal information, they said.

USA TODAY reached out to TikTok on Wednesday regarding details of the reported plan, which is different from what would be required by law.

Under the law, a TikTok ban would essentially make new downloads on app stores like Apple and Google no longer possible. While existing users could still access and use the app, they would not be able to update the app, which would likely degrade and stop working over time.

Trump, other lawmakers oppose TikTok ban deadline

Some lawmakers are calling on President Biden and the US Supreme Court to take action to prevent TikTok from being banned on Sunday

Late. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said Monday that he planned to introduce legislation to delay by another 270 days the January 19 deadline by which ByteDance must sell TikTok or face a ban.

“TikTok creators and users across the country are understandably concerned. They are uncertain about the future of the platform, their accounts and the vibrant online communities they have cultivated,” Markey said in a statement. “These communities cannot be replicated on another app. A ban would dismantle a unique informational and cultural ecosystem, silencing millions in the process.”

Markey has also joined Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. by filing a two-pronged brief asking the US Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s decision to uphold a TikTok ban. In it shortargued the lawmakers that “there are less drastic measures that can effectively address data security problems without violating constitutional rights.”

“A ban on TikTok not only infringes on the freedom of speech of millions of Americans, but also endangers the livelihoods of creators and small business owners who use the app,” Khanna said in a statement. “We need laws to protect Americans’ data, but banning TikTok is not the answer.”

Trump has also urged the Supreme Court to delay the deadline to give his administration time after taking office on Jan. 20 to pursue a policy decision.

What would happen to TikTok employees in the US?

Despite the looming ban and TikTok’s plans to shut down the app, it looks like the jobs of 7,000 US employees may be safe.

TikTok plans to keep paying U.S. workers even if the Supreme Court doesn’t overturn a law that would force sales of the app in the U.S., according to an internal memo reviewed Tuesday by Reuters sent by the company’s management.

“I cannot stress enough that your well-being is a top priority, and most importantly, I want to emphasize that as employees of the United States, your employment, pay and benefits are secure and our offices will remain open even though this situation has not been resolved by the January 19 deadline,” the memo to TikTok employees said.

“The bill is not written in a way that affects the entities through which you are employed, only the American user experience,” the company said.

Eric Lagatta covers the latest and trending news for USA TODAY. Contact him at [email protected]