TikTok Confirms It Will Shut Down in the U.S. on January 19 Unless Supreme Court Intervenes
TikTok has announced that it will cease operations in the United States on January 19, 2025, unless the Supreme Court blocks or delays the enforcement of a federal ban.
In a December 9 legal filing, TikTok stated:
“Absent such relief, the Act will take effect on January 19, 2025. That would shut down TikTok—one of the Nation’s most popular speech platforms for its more than 170 million domestic monthly users on the eve of a presidential inauguration.”
The legislation, signed into law last year by President Joe Biden, mandates the removal of TikTok from U.S. app stores and prohibits internet providers from granting access to the platform if its parent company, ByteDance, fails to sell its U.S. assets to an American entity by the deadline.
The move is rooted in national security concerns over China’s potential use of TikTok for surveillance.
In response, TikTok has filed an emergency motion seeking to block the ban, arguing that it infringes upon First Amendment rights and could lead to “substantial losses.” The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on January 10 to determine whether the law will be upheld.
Meanwhile, efforts to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations are gaining momentum. Investor and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary has expressed interest, emphasizing the broader implications of such a deal.
“This isn’t just about buying TikTok’s U.S. assets,” O’Leary wrote on January 6 via X (formerly Twitter). “It’s about protecting the privacy of 170 million American users, empowering creators and small businesses, and building a platform that prioritizes PEOPLE over algorithms.”
