The Biden administration has not indicated plans to delay the January 19 deadline.
TikTok warned late Friday that it may go dark in the United States on Sunday unless the Biden administration provides assurances to companies like Apple and Google that they will not face penalties under a newly upheld ban.
This statement follows a Supreme Court decision supporting a law banning TikTok over national security concerns unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests from the app.
Supreme Court Upholds the Ban
The Supreme Court upheld the law, which Congress passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last year. The legislation bars U.S. service providers from offering TikTok unless ByteDance relinquishes ownership.
User Panic
For some users, the looming shutdown has sparked panic. Houston-based influencer Lourd Asprec, who has over 16 million followers, expressed shock, saying, “I don’t even care about China stealing my data. If anything, I’ll go to China myself and give them my data.”
Potential Interventions
The Biden administration has not indicated plans to delay the January 19 deadline, leaving the decision to the incoming administration. Trump, who previously attempted to ban TikTok in 2020, has hinted at invoking emergency powers to keep the app operational.
Business Implications
The ban could have far-reaching effects on companies like Apple, Google, and Oracle, which provide services critical to TikTok’s operations. These firms face significant fines if they continue to support the app after the ban takes effect.
