TikTok ban LIVE updates — Supreme Court decision on shutdown expected soon

TikTok may just shutdown on Sunday

A new report from Reuters claims that TikTok will shut the app down on Sunday, January 19 for US users.

The law mandates a ban on new TikTok downloads, with existing users able to use the app after the app, for awhile anyway.

However, the Reuters reports that TikTok's plan is to shut down the app. Instead, when opening the app you will be redirected to a website with information about the ban.

A source said that it would allow people to download their data.

ByteDance has not commented on whether or not this plan is actually true or not.

Elon Musk floated as possible buyer of Tik Tok

A report from Bloomberg landed this week claiming that Tesla/X/SpaceX CEO and owner Elon Musk might be a potential purchaser of Tik Tok US.

Some of this was attributed to Musk's support of president-elect Donald Trump who has signaled support for overturning the Tik Tok ban.

ByteDance, the parent company behind Tik Tok, told Variety, "We can't be expected to comment on pure fiction."

Elon Musk has not officially commented on potentially purchasing Tik Tok, though he has made statements against banning the app.

Senator wants the ban delayed

Massachusetts senator Ed Markey helped support the original TikTok ban. Now, he's calling for the ban to be delayed. He introduced a new bill called “Extend the TikTok Deadline Act."

It would push back the deadline by 270 days, as Markey says pausing it is necessary to ensure that creators on the app know what’s going on.

“Let me be clear: TikTok has its problems,” he said in a statement on his new bill. “Like every social media platform, TikTok poses a serious risk to the privacy and mental health of our young people. I will continue to hold TikTok accountable for such behavior."

“But a TikTok ban would impose serious consequences on millions of Americans who depend on the app for social connections and their economic livelihood. We cannot allow that to happen," he continued.

What happens to TikTok's US employees?

One thing we don't hear about as much with all the TikTok ban talk is what will happen to the app's employees in the U.S. Will the entire staff be laid off, or will TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, figure out how to keep most, if not all, of them employed?

According to a new report from Reuters, which reviewed an internal memo sent around TikTok, the firm plans to keep paying all U.S. employees if the ban is finalized.

"I cannot emphasize enough that your wellbeing is a top priority and so most importantly, I want to reinforce that as employees in the US, your employment, pay, and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation hasn't been resolved before the January 19 deadline," the memo reads.

It doesn't sound like TikTok is going to give up, even if the ban goes through. "Our leadership team remains laser focused on planning for various scenarios and continuing to plan the way forward," the internal TikTok memo continues.

"The bill is not written in a way that impacts the entities through which you are employed, only the US user experience," the company said.

That last bit is interesting, though, because a lot of TikTok's users are in the U.S. and losing all of them would undoubtedly impact the company's bottom line enough that it might affect the ability to keep everyone working.

TikTok may have a plan to combat the ban further and keep the app running, but the company is definitely in a battle against time.

Tom's Guide on TikTok

Be sure to follow Tom's Guide on TikTok and watch lots of our incredible videos while you still can. If the ban goes through, some of that content could be gone forever, so don't miss out.

Also, be sure to Subscribe to Tom's Guide's YouTube and follow us on Instagram so you can see our videos if TikTok is no longer an option.

What will happen if the TikTok ban goes through?

At first, we thought a TikTok ban would mean the app was removed from the App Store. If that were to happen, hundreds of millions of Americans who already have it installed would still be able to use it. The latest information suggests this isn't the case and that users will open the app and find that it doesn't work if the ban goes through.

The report comes from The Information, saying that individuals familiar with the matter had stated that TikTok will likely be shut off on January 19.

TikTok reportedly wants to maximize the ban for its benefit, and shutting the app off completely would get users riled up and make noise. That could reach the ears of President-elect Donald Trump, causing him to reverse the ban if he can find a way to do so (he's recently expressed support for TikTok).

Will that plan backfire for TikTok? Only time will tell, but it's an interesting move to shut down completely to leverage the anger of its users.

Supreme Court may decide today

According to a report from Forbes, TikTok's ultimate fate could be decided by today (Wednesday, January 15, 2025). While we're a few days removed from the Supreme Court hearing arguments about the Federal Government's ban, no opinion has been rendered by the highest court in the U.S.

It's worth noting that the judges issued opinions in other cases they heard the same day as the TikTok statements were issued. They did not opine on the TikTok case, though. There are no other dates scheduled for the court to release opinions, so Forbes believes that it could still happen later today at some point.

The ban is scheduled to start on January 19, so the Supreme Court has little time to express its opinions.

What about RedNote?

In a move that the U.S. Government almost certainly couldn’t have predicted, TikTok users are flocking to a Chinese app called RedNote. While not as intuitive as TikTok (the interface is in Chinese), the app has quickly shot up the App Store rankings. Is this app safe? Will it have the same problems as TikTok if it becomes the new go-to video-sharing app for content creators?

Our in-depth piece answers all these questions, explaining everything you need to know about RedNote. It has some substantial differences compared to TikTok, so it’s definitely an interesting place for the so-called “TikTok refugees” to go.

The story so far

Banning TikTok isn't just something that popped up overnight. It's been a long process for the U.S. government to make the ban happen. TikTok parent company, ByteDance, has been engaged in an intense battle to save its app (and its giant source of profit,) and if everything stays the way it's going, the fight will end on January 19.

As we approach the expiration date, be sure to read our in-depth history of the U.S. TikTok ban to learn more about the situation and gain a strong understanding of what to expect.

TikTok alternatives

If TikTok is banned and you're an avid user (whether as a creator or viewer), do you have a plan for where you'll migrate for your short vertical videos?

Most people would consider YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels the primary TikTok replacements, but a new app could rise from the ashes of TikTok and take over.

On Tom's Guide, we use TikTok for much of our video content, but we also share on YouTube Shorts.

Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see which apps rise and take over (or if TokTok survives the U.S. government's attempts to ban it on January 19).

Will TikTok survive?

January 19 could be a landmark day for social media and the internet as we know it. Sure, something could happen on January 20 when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Still, if the ban happens, we could see users nationwide logging in with no access to the beloved social video app.

Creators are calling for Trump to save TikTok, while others hope the app's ban is upheld because it may threaten national security. Only time will tell how it goes, but we'll be here to bring you all the developments as they happen.