TikTok plans to shut down its app for US users on Sunday, January 19, when a federal ban on the social media platform may come into effect.
The app’s shutdown can only be avoided if the Supreme Court intervenes. According to TikTok’s plan, users attempting to open the app will see a pop-up message redirecting them to a website with information about the ban, sources say.
Under a law passed in 2024, the Chinese company ByteDance must either sell the social network or cease its operations in the US by January 19. The company has sought at least a delay in the law’s enforcement, arguing that it violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects free speech from government restrictions.
Last month, TikTok stated in a lawsuit that it estimates one-third of the 170 million Americans using its app would lose access to the platform if the ban lasts for a month.
