The potential U.S. TikTok ban, explained
By Meg Dowell
You may have heard talk, and possibly panic, about a potential "TikTok ban" looming over users in the United States. Unfortunately, it's not just a rumor. A ban really could happen, and the potential day could be approaching quickly.
Here's what you may not yet know about the TikTok ban -- and whether or not there is anything you can do to stop it.
Why is the U.S. banning TikTok?
Let's keep things short and simple here. In a nutshell, TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance. Congress passed a law in April 2024 stating that the app either had to sell to a non-Chinese owner or face a country-wide ban.
The deadline for that sale is January 19, 2025. According to The Washington Post, failure to sell the app could mean a ban across the United States.
What happens if TikTok is banned?
In short, people within the United States wouldn't have access to the app anymore. Thankfully, even if TikTok fails to sell by the initial deadline, a ban probably wouldn't happen right away. The deadline could be extended, and because this ordeal involves the courts, it could take a while for any sort of ban to actually take effect.
It may seem like a lost cause -- even if this case does make it to the Supreme Court, what can the average person do to stop the ban from happening?
Can TikTok creators save the app?
While some creators have challenged the ban, there isn't much the average user can do to stop a potential shutdown. If you are concerned about data privacy, you can block TikTok from sharing your data, or at least try to.
You can also cross-post your content to other apps like YouTube (Shorts), Instagram (Reels) or SnapChat (Spotlight). It's not ideal, but it may be the best we've got.