With the potential U.S. TikTok ban still expected on January 19, some users are starting to panic. It doesn't help that some recent reports have suggested that the current owner of X (Formerly Twitter) could potentially buy TikTok to keep it running for users in the country. Thankfully, it does not appear that these reports are valid.
According to Variety, these rumors can't be trusted at this time. But there are still a lot of questions about what might happen next week if the law effectively banning the app in the United States does go into effect. If there is no sale by that point, the ban will supposedly continue. It's possible this deadline could be extended, but it's unclear whether or not the ban can be avoided forever. Currently, there is debate in the Supreme Court about whether or not the law in question is unconstitutional.
There are mixed reactions about the possibility of users and content creators losing access to TikTok. Some are happy about it -- who needs misinformation and influencers, anyway? But many others are concerned about losing a significant part of their income, or access to the communities they have become part of due to the app's wide access and reach.
What we certainly don't need is any kind of association between Twitter and TikTok. The latter app may have its downsides -- there are downsides to every corner of social media -- the algorithm is a little bit more forgiving in terms of who gets an audience and who doesn't. Need I list the other reasons nothing needs to be associated with Twitter at all? Perhaps in a different article.
The potential ban is just days away. While U.S. users likely won't immediately lose their access to the app immediately if that happens, it will no longer be available for download on devices, and eventually, a lack of updates will render it unusable. The best thing to do may just be to wait and see how things play out over the next week or so.