The countdown to a potential blackout of TikTok in the United States is on, with the app set to go dark on Sunday, January 19th, unless significant intervention comes from the Biden administration. This development comes in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that upholds a law demanding ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, to divest its stake in the app or face a ban.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision on Friday was a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga between TikTok, its parent company ByteDance, and U.S. national security concerns. The court declined to block the law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19th, or else the app would be barred from operating in the U.S. This ruling was based on national security grounds, fearing that ByteDance might be compelled to share American user data with the Chinese government.

In response to this imminent deadline, TikTok CEO Shou Chew released a video plea, seemingly directed at President-elect Donald Trump, without providing any concrete plan on how the app might navigate the court’s decision. TikTok has since confirmed that without a “definitive statement” from the Biden administration ensuring that its service providers won’t face legal repercussions, the app will be “forced to go dark” on the stipulated date. This statement underscores the urgency and the critical role played by companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Oracle, which are pivotal in distributing and hosting TikTok’s services.

The White House has made it clear that the responsibility to address TikTok’s situation will transition to the incoming Trump administration. President Biden’s position, as articulated by his administration, has been that TikTok should continue to be available to Americans but under new, non-Chinese ownership to mitigate national security risks. However, with the transition of power scheduled for Monday, January 20th, the Biden administration has essentially passed the buck on resolving this issue before the deadline.

Political and Legal Implications

The Department of Justice, under Attorney General Merrick Garland, has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the ban, highlighting concerns over data privacy and national security. “Authoritarian regimes should not have unfettered access to millions of Americans’ sensitive data,” Garland stated, supporting the court’s decision as consistent with constitutional protections.

Interestingly, as the deadline approaches, there’s been a noticeable shift among some politicians who initially supported the ban. Senator Chuck Schumer, for instance, has reportedly urged President Biden to reconsider, citing potential damage to his legacy if TikTok were to disappear from American devices, according to The New York Times.

What happens next?

The next few days could be crucial for TikTok’s 170 million American users. If no action is taken by Sunday, users might find themselves unable to access new content, updates, or even the app itself if ByteDance doesn’t comply with the divestiture or if the app is removed from app stores. The exact mechanics of how a “dark” TikTok would look are uncertain, but it would undoubtedly disrupt the daily social media routines of millions.

TikTok’s full statement

Here is the full statement from TikTok regarding the looming shutdown:

The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok’s availability to over 170 million Americans.

Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19.

The situation remains fluid, with all eyes on Washington to see if there will be last-minute maneuvers to keep TikTok active in the U.S., or if the app’s fate will indeed rest with the decisions of the incoming Trump administration.