Report: TikTok Plans US Shutdown If Ban Takes Effect

story

Jan 16, 2025

Above: A TikTok logo displayed on a smartphone. Image copyright: CFOTO/Contributor/Future Publishing via Getty Imagesstory last updated Jan 17

The Facts

Various media outlets have reported that TikTok is preparing to completely shut down its operations for 170M American users if a federal ban takes effect Sunday.
The platform, which could avoid the ban if parent company ByteDance sells its US assets or if the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) intervenes, plans to display a pop-up message directing users to an informational website about the ban and will provide options for users to download their personal data before the shutdown.
This comes on the heels of other media outlets reporting that Chinese officials are considering allowing ByteDance to sell TikTok's US operations to SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, which the social media platform has said is "pure fiction."

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

The TikTok ban is crucial to national security, as ByteDance's control over TikTok poses risks through data collection and potential manipulation of American users' content. Recent reports even allege ByteDance has been requiring executives to pledge allegiance to China's socialist system, demonstrating the platform's true alignment.

Daily Caller

Establishment-critical narrative

It's time for SCOTUS to prevent this ban. Regardless of what ByteDance is planning to do with TikTok, this law is a slippery slope toward weakening the First Amendment. US lawmakers continue to claim TikTok presents a national security threat but have provided zero evidence.