TikTok plans total shutdown in US as ban deadline approaches: Report

Text size

Social media giant TikTok plans to completely shut down its operations in the United States this Sunday if a ban ordered by lawmakers goes through as planned, a report said.

The platform, which has over 170 million US users, will implement an immediate blackout instead of allowing existing users continued access as expected, according to sources who spoke to The Information.

The apparent shutdown comes as TikTok faces a January 19 legislative deadline to cut ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance or cease US operations.

While the law only requires app stores to remove TikTok and cloud providers to stop hosting US user data, the company will opt for a full suspension of the service, The Information said.

Users who try to open the app after the deadline will encounter a message redirecting them to a statement about the federally mandated ban, along with options to download their personal data, the report said.

TikTok’s reported plan would follow skeptical questions from Supreme Court justices during oral arguments last Friday, suggesting they would uphold the ban.

The company has challenged the law on First Amendment grounds, which protect free speech.

The shutdown would coincide with the US presidential transition, when Donald Trump, who has voiced opposition to the ban, takes office on Monday.

ByteDance has so far refused to sell TikTok’s US operations, although analysts say that position could change as the reality of a forced market exit looms.

In an internal email obtained by The Verge on Tuesday, TikTok assured its US employees that their “employment, pay and benefits are secure” and offices will remain open, even if the situation remains unresolved by Sunday’s deadline.

The company told staff it is “planning for different scenarios.”

TikTok declined to comment when contacted by AFP.