ByteDance's TikTok to Shut Down in US on January 19 Unless Supreme Court Blocks Ban

Jan 15, 2025, 05:12 AM

TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, is preparing to shut down its app for US users on Sunday, January 19, 2025, when a federal ban on the social media platform is set to take effect, unless the Supreme Court intervenes to block the ban. President Joe Biden signed legislation in April 2024 requiring TikTok to be owned by an American company by January 19, 2025, or face a ban in the United States. The Supreme Court is expected to decide this week whether to uphold the ban. In anticipation of the potential shutdown, TikTok has informed its 7,000 US employees that they will continue to receive pay and benefits even if the app is banned. In an internal memo, the company assured employees, "Your employment, pay, and benefits are secure, even if this situation hasn't been resolved." TikTok stated that US offices will remain open "even if this situation hasn't been resolved" by January 19. If the ban takes effect, the app will become non-functional for US users, even if it is already installed, and users will be redirected to a website providing details about the ban and given the option to download their data.